Everyone in Their Season

Everyone in Their Season

     I can not begin to describe the beautiful community that God has blessed me with here in college. Now I have had community like this back in high school and still do, but never to this extent. And what I mean by that is that community back home is a once/twice a week community but here it is daily. I can't help but be reminded of Acts 2:42-47 which says "They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved." And although the community I speak of is not quite to that degree, it is very close and this passage serves as a great compass for all believers to strive towards and to emulate, not only with building each other up as the body but also with bringing in the lost and treating them as our own.

     However, because I had found this community and we grew so close together in such a small amount of time, some trouble arose for me. I remember being in the theater with some guys who I consider to be some of my best friends and a panic attack of sorts hit me. Now this is very unusual for me because I have never had a panic attack before but I looked around and this epiphany, albeit false one, arose in my mind that said "these people are total strangers." The thought came in partly because I had known them for so short a time but also because they already had this tight-knit group before I met them and they welcomed me in, as I mentioned the passage directs us to, but I felt as a bit of an outcast or that I will never truly fit in with them. I quickly got over this sensation but something stuck with me through that and that is the idea of everyone in their season. What I mean by that is that there is a time in our lives for everyone and they come and go, granted some stay longer than others. I remember talking with one of my best friends senior year in high school and saying how I dreaded the thought that we would drift and part ways, which we affirmed would never happen. Of course that happened though, and although I still love him and would drop anything to help him should something arise, I have a peace with it. The idea of this community that I had found being like that friend though troubled me and I didn't respond well at all. But I came to the realization that since my purpose for still being on this earth is to give all of myself to God's children it is all the more dire for me to do so while I still can. I am the seasonal friend in their lives and thus my window for giving is all the more smaller because of that. Now don't get me wrong, I can fight to death to maintain these relationships after college (as I intend to do), but the truth is we will go to different cities, have different jobs, and it will be harder and harder to communicate. Certainly not all of these relationships can last, at least not to this degree. It's a bitter pill to swallow but an essential reminder for me to give all I have while I still can. This season will pass. The opportunities of now will expire. But let us make the most of it while it's still here.