Season Change, But Joy and Peace Remain

It's on its way. Can you sense it? Can you smell it? It's in the air. The end of summer is near; fall is on its way. It won't be long before the leaves change color and the air becomes crisp. Pumpkin this and pumpkin that will soon take over everything.

Just as we can sense the change of spring, summer, fall, and winter - when we stay in tune with Holy Spirit, we can sense the change in spiritual seasons.

Sometimes it's so exciting that we run ahead full force, ready to take on anything that comes our way or dares to stand between us and God's plan for us. We are energetic, full of God's joy and peace, and ready to see the giants in front of us fall pathetically to the ground! - Ha! As if anything could ever really stand against God and His anointed ones! Other times we are full of God's peace and joy, yet we are more hesitant to run ahead and instead choose to move at a snail's pace.

Wait! What?? How can we be full of God's peace and joy in BOTH situations??

Well, let me tell ya how. God's Word says that He has given us all things that we need for a godly life. 2 Peter 1:3 says, "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." All things. That includes joy and peace. Not convinced? Okay, check out John 16:33, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
While we're at it, let's look at the following Scriptures:

Isaiah 32:17
"The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever."

John 14:27
"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness."

Romans 15:13
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

God has given us the peace and joy we need to walk through this life. But just because He GAVE it to us, does not mean that we are actively choosing to walk in it. That's where us being in tune with Holy Spirit comes into play.

Our focus determines whether we are going to be walking in joy and peace, running full force towards our giants ready to slay them - OR - if we walk slowly and reluctantly towards our future.

One of the things our Pastor used to say quite often is, "What you focus on the longest becomes the strongest." That's something that I've held onto over the years and I've asked Holy Spirit to remind me of it when my focus falls to anything but God. He's faithful to remind me, too. He's faithful to correct me when I let the cares of this world steal my focus from God. He brings me back to a place where I can be aware of my own choices - and choose to focus on God's Word, which allows me to walk this life in joy and peace.

Is it easy? Nope! It takes effort. It takes resilience. It takes not quitting or giving up - and definitely no beating yourself up if you mess up.

The good news: the more you practice, the more it becomes second nature.
The better news: it truly is the best way to live! And you can have that, too!