When I was 50 years old, I was transitioning out of the military because of medical issues.
Just like that, everything changed.
I was no longer a soldier.
I was no longer a leader responsible for troops.
I was now a realtor trying to figure out what came next.
My children were grown and living their own lives. I lived in El Paso, far away from them and my grandchildren. My husband and I weren't getting along very well either.
Talk about a different season.
For the first time in years, nobody was telling me when to be at work. Nobody was telling me how much I should weigh. Nobody was telling me what my day was supposed to look like.
Honestly, it felt strange.
So what did I do?
I joined a weight-loss program. I was at the gym by 6:00 every morning except Sunday. I worked out for nearly two hours a day. I was in the real estate office by 9:00 every weekday.
I stayed busy.
Maybe too busy.
Then life changed again.
My mom needed knee surgery, and my stepdad was going through dialysis three days a week. He asked if I could come back to Kansas and help.
So I packed up and headed home.
Another season.
Another transition.
Another opportunity to figure out who I was becoming.
The truth is, I spent a lot of time wishing I was in a different season.
I wanted things to go back to the way they were.
I wanted life to make sense again.
I wanted certainty.
Maybe you've felt that way too.
Maybe you're facing retirement.
Maybe you're adjusting to an empty nest.
Maybe you're rebuilding after a divorce.
Maybe you're transitioning out of the military.
Maybe life simply looks different than you thought it would.
Whatever season you're in, I want you to consider something:
How many lessons are we missing because we're wishing for a different season?
How many opportunities pass us by because we're focused on where we used to be instead of where we are?
I know I missed some.
I spent so much time looking backward and forward that I forgot to pay attention to what God was trying to teach me right where I was.
Every season has a purpose.
Every season has lessons.
Every season has opportunities if we're willing to look for them.
Acceptance doesn't mean you have to love the season you're in.
It means you stop fighting it long enough to learn from it.
Maybe the season you're in isn't permanent.
Maybe it's simply preparing you for what's next.
But you'll never receive the lessons from this season if you're too busy wishing for another one.
So instead of asking, "Why am I here?"
Try asking, "What is this season trying to teach me?"
You might be surprised by the answer.