No Need To Fear Your New Season (My Story About a Season That Hurt)
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I’m going to be very open and transparent with you today and tell you about a season I went through awhile ago that hurt.
Why does it matter? Because one of the questions that you, my readers, have asked me is: “Will my new season hurt? Why does a new season scare me?”
Related: Read this week’s whole New Season series:
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I don’t blame you for wanting to know if your new season will hurt. The thing is, though, most seasons are NOT going to hurt hurt. The Kingdom of God is in righteousness, peace, and joy, and God wants to bring us into greater measures of those things. Always.
But sometimes you have to go through a process to get to that next level of peace and joy.
Sometimes there are seasons in which He allows a stripping away of things that don’t look just like Jesus. Or, there are seasons in which you’re tested on things you’ve learned.
Or, there are times when, like Job, He may allow something difficult to happen in your life because He needs a big fat giant for you to kill so you can become king. He’s ready to promote you, but sometimes there has to be a dying first.
But the truth of God’s Word is this:
Even if you have to endure a painful season, God will work it out for your good and use it to promote you.
Therefore, there’s no reason to fear; even the hardest things will elevate you to a new level in Christ and bring you further into your destiny. It’s true, every time, because He promised.
Check out what happened to me:
As I mentioned in Heavenly Downloads For Your New Season, God told me I had entered into a new season at the end of Memorial Day weekend this year. It was right after I took a team to give free dream and tattoo interpretations at the tattoo convention. Our team had experienced a crushing victory there, encouraging so many people and seeing God love on hungry, hurting hearts.
Therefore, reasonably so, I imagined that the new season would be a season of further victories. I was very excited about that possibility.
But very quickly thereafter, something terrible happened. Someone I loved stabbed me in the back really hard and, figuratively speaking, left me for dead. I felt like they had ripped out my heart. I was bleeding all over the parking lot, and I had no emotional or spiritual life remaining in me.
It was a really hard time.
I wanted to walk away from ministry and God’s people forever. I didn’t want to love people anymore, because love hurts. I wanted nothing to do with anyone and was ready to walk away from all relationships except my marriage.
And right after it happened, when I crawled up in Papa’s lap with my Bible, looking for any kind of comfort and strength, I heard Him say this about my new season:
“It’s a season of death.”
I heard it as clear as a bell. And trust me, it was not what I wanted to hear.
Uhhhhh… on second thought, Jesus, can I get out of this new season, please? I didn’t do anything to deserve this. So I’d really appreciate it if You’d reverse the circumstances and stick up for me. Smite ’em, God.
Uh huh. You laugh, but you’ve been there too, I suspect. 🙂
A season of death. Well, that wasn’t what I signed up for. I began to read the Word, hoping to hear some word about justice and vengeance. But as I started to read, the words that leapt off the page were:
But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.
He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor” (John 12:23-26).
He also said:
Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison” (Matthew 5:23-25).
and…
“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12).
and…
“Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also” (John 15:18-20).
There were lots of other Scriptures that the Lord brought to my attention, but I don’t have time to list them all here. Suffice it to say, they were all about dying to oneself, making things right with your enemies, and not expecting people to just love you all the time… but forgiving them anyway.
And as I read, I realized I had two options:
Either I could dig my heels in, fight on my own behalf, and try to prove the other person wrong … which would only mean I’d get to go around and around this same mountain, experiencing who knows how much more agony, until I finally submitted.
OR, I could accept that the Lord told me it was a season of death, submit to His Word NOW, and let Him do His thing. And hopefully get it over with quickly.
I realized that the first option would only work out badly. That left the dying part. I wanted to get THROUGH this season and leave it behind me, so I decided to jump on God’s bandwagon and die to myself in this.
So I did. After the initial gut reaction, I didn’t lash out. I was hurting, but God helped me. I forgave, tried to make things right, and somehow got through it.
And you know what? After I got on God’s bandwagon and submitted to His work, it turns out that this rough season didn’t last very much longer.
It was a season of death. As soon as I decided to cooperate, God did His thing in me. After only a few weeks, I heard Him say:
“The season of death is over.”
And at first, I almost had to pinch myself. I didn’t think I heard correctly. How could such a season be so short? Surely I needed to suffer longer?
But no. Even though I didn’t quite believe the season of death was over, I started seeing new life right after God switched the seasons. I started seeing the promotion and open doors I had hoped for. And ever since that time, I’ve been in a season of vibrant life. God has done things that were beyond my wildest dreams.
But looking back, I can see that God used that season of death to promote me.
He did this in several ways:
He strengthened my faith and prayer life, because I prayed continually and claimed His promises about working things out for my good during this time.
He taught me that the words that Jesus speaks are spirit and life; that soaking in the words of Jesus will revive even the most wounded heart. This is a key lesson not only for myself, but also that I can pass on to the people I mentor.
He published two articles I wrote about that experience on nationally-known websites: Your Trouble Will Be Worth It on (in)courage.me and When Loving Your Sheep Hurts on Christianity Today’s Gifted For Leadership. (Both of these were huge honors for me. I’m ever so grateful.) 🙂
He’s done other, bigger things that I won’t mention, but you get the point. So in the end, I didn’t need to fear the new season of death… because God had promotion in line all along.
It’s like I’ve heard Tommy Tenney say:
“The size of your enemy is a clue to the size of your destiny.”
I had an enemy and that enemy hurt. BUT GOD planned to work it out for my good all along. He just needed me to cooperate.
So, dear reader, the message I pray you will take home is this:
I hope your next season of life–the one you’re entering into right now–is fun, fabulous, and filled with promotion. However, even if it’s not…
… even if you are about to go through something tough …
… even if you are going through the worst season of your life right now …
… the Word of God will hold true for you. God has promised to work all things together for your good, and He. will. do. it.
Romans 8:28 tells us:
You don’t need to fear your new season. Even the worst-case scenario–a painful season–still can’t harm you. God will work ALL THINGS together for your good. He has promised, and God is not a man that He should lie (Numbers 23:19). He will ALWAYS keep His promise to you.
So you can enter into your new season with joy and expectancy now.
I feel like I’m giving a graduation speech, and I am! Go forth and graduate into the next thing God is doing in your life. Be bold like a lion. Carpe that diem:
Get alone with God.
Get His downloads and His specific prayer directives.
Ask Him what He wants to do in your heart next.
Go on your vision retreat (even if that’s in your bathtub!) and ask Him what your next step is.
Then DO IT!
There’s no need to fear. No matter what your new season looks like, it will only promote you. God is in charge, and He will perfect all things that concern you.
Does my story speak to you about any concerns you’ve had? If so, please leave a comment and share your thoughts! I’d love to hear from you. 🙂
Image courtesy of mendhak on Flickr via Creative Commons license. Image has been edited and the text and graphics have been added.
The most painful death to endure is the death of ourselves, and yet only through that process can Christ be resurrected in us. I love how you have depicted this through your own painful story. May our Lord continue to be exalted in and through you. I wrote a similar piece awhile back about the death of dreams…
http://messytheology.wordpress.com/2014/07/14/the-death-of-dreams/
Hi Tiffany! I’m so sorry it took me awhile to respond. I’ve been away from the computer for several days. Thank you for reading! I totally agree with your thoughts. It’s in that painful death that the life of Christ comes shining through in blazing glory. I’m so grateful for how He turns our mess into a message and a testimony of His goodness and salvation. I’ll check out your story too! Have a great night!
Hi, Jamie, I am following your series with deep interest. While this is not the time to share, I want you to know your words are being read, weighed carefully, and taken to heart where they apply in particular circumstances in my life right now. Love, Laurna
Jamie, your words are encouraging. 2014 was the toughest year I have had since 2000..both involved being stabbed in the heart by someone I trust most..the loss of my mom and watching her fight for her life for 18 months was more than I thought I could bear….Many times while going through that with her, I read your blogs and what a great help. I want to thank you for that comfort and uplifting of my spirit…Please keep me and my sons in your prayers for many blessings in 2015…
Jamie,
Thank you for these wise words. I have been going through a very difficult season, and reading these words made me realize that I am the reason this season has gone on for so many months! I feel prepared to take the next steps with the help of Jesus, so that i can be promoted!
Your sister in Christ,
Melissa
3 words struck me. Choose.Submit. Graduate. I’m graduating from a season that has often been painful but oh so beautiful and valuable. It was a season involving the aftermath of some bad life choices and their consequences. I had to choose my course. Jesus took me by the arm and said “Come with me and I’ll walk you through this.” It was hard. It was painful. It hurt. But I was never alone. Every time I would waiver, doubt, start to falter, He would faithfully give me a rhema Word or send a laborer to help me keep on going. Amazing Love. What I’ve gained during this season is invaluable and I ‘m now seeing the restoration of things I had lost! Every season has a purpose. He wastes nothing!
Awesome thoughts, Katie. Totally awesome. Thank you for sharing! You are graduating into a wonderful thing and I’m so excited. I love how Jesus walks with us and the Holy Spirit draws us and woos us back to the Father’s table. We cannot draw ourselves! “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Thank You, God! And I praise Him with you for His restoration!
Thanks for posting about this very difficult time in your life. There are times I need to remember that it’s not about me and that wisdom from Heaven causes us to walk in humility. When we decrease and He increases, the end result is so much better, but getting there can sure be a stripping process. James 3:17 says that wisdom from Heaven is first of all pure, the peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Lord, during hard times, please draw us to Your wisdom and give us daily strength to walk it out.
Hey Denise. Sorry it took me so long to respond – I’ve been away from my computer. Thank you for reading and sharing. I totally agree. I love that passage from James and pray for wisdom like that often. Only the Holy Spirit can produce it, but He is faithful to do so and I’m grateful!
It has been an extraordinarily rough and long season of loss & pain… lost a great job, endured hideous physical & psychological pain, my father passed away in 2012 unexpectedly, I suffered a major breakdown, was betrayed by close friends, had a 2nd marriage explode and die, lost a love, watched my young daughter suffer through the loss of everything, became homeless with no transportation & lived in a shelter for a while where I was treated abominably and attacked, and was then was viciously emotionally and verbally abused for months…. but Jesus has stayed – never forsook me, never left me, and is still right here with me through everything. Breakthrough has been seemingly delayed, but I know He is faithful. Love & restoration have been promised, and are on their way. Jeremiah 29:11 keeps showing up wherever I turn & a few other passages & God continually speaks to my heart & spirit. Praise Him through EVERY storm… ESPECIALLY when you’re smack in the middle of a storm, don’t know where to go, can’t see anything ahead, when the enemy is throwing things at you from every angle like a monsoon & every fiber of your being is screaming in pain, PRAISE OUR HEAVENLY FATHER even when you’re face down on the floor in an ocean of pain & want to give up… don’t EVER give up. Lean on Jesus & PRAISE HIM even when (ESPECIALLY when) you’re not feeling it and see no way out. JESUS is your way out & the battle is HIS. Submit therefore, to Him Who is able… to He Who is faithful then watch what happens :))))) <3 I love You Lord!!! Even when I cannot see I will trust You. <3
Hey Leslie, I’m so sorry all those terrible things have happened to you. But I am praising Jesus with you for His faithfulness in your storm. I pray that your new season would be full of restoration and blessing, and that you would receive a double portion of grace, favor, provision, and restoration in exchange for everything you have lost. God, RESTORE by Your mercy and the blood of Jesus!
Thank you, Sister-in-Christ & may God continue to pour out His blessings on you & yours <3 I'm in agreement with your prayer (naturally… lol) In all sincerity, seriously, thank you 🙂
My pleasure. 🙂
thank you for your blog post. Diagnosed with a rare form of breast cancer, so I’m starting a new season. Your thoughts are helping me with the transition from fer, to one of walking my journey with the Lord.
Hi Sunny. I’m so glad it encouraged you. I am sorry you are going through a tough time, but I’d like to speak to that cancer if I may: I speak to the cancer in you and I curse it and command it to die. I speak to your body and I command it to live. I loose healing, health, strength, and regeneration into you in Jesus’ name, because by the stripes of Jesus you are healed! Now Lord, let Your Word run swiftly into Sunny and bring her total and complete healing in Jesus’ name because Jesus already paid the price for it!!!!!!!
Thanks for reading my blog, Sunny. I pray it will continue to encourage you.
Thank you for you blog Jamie. It’s giving me hope. Diagnosed with ITP, a rare autoimmune diseases. The doctors have failed. It’s been a long 18 months. I trust in the Lord for a new season
Really appreciated this article. I am in the midst of my season of death and it is painful. But, through it God has revealed why this has been necessary even now in my darkest hour I know dawn is about to break. We either trust or we don’t no shades of gray here. We either choose the light or to stay in the dark, I am choosing the light, I am choosing to trust 100% and as bad as things are right now I have such peace & joy I wouldn`t trade for any amount of gold.
Reflecting on this God revealed to me that when I started the journey that I am on with Him I was in a place of trust and in that place there were shades of gray. I trusted Him with some things and didn’t others. Taking me to a place of TRUST is where it has become black and white for me, I TRUST Him. When I was in the area of trust where there were shades of gray self-was involved. Now that I am in an area of TRUST, black and white, self has died.
This has been a year where I have traveled from faith to FAITH, belief to BELIEF, love to LOVE, trust to TRUST and prayer to PRAYER.
Dearest sister Jamie, again thank you as this message is so perfect with it’s timing. I am in awe at God’s mercy and love for all of us. Thank you for sharing the agony of your pain, and thank you to all those that have responded with replies, and how God is so big and knows all these hurts and all this pain….Hallelujah for His endless love. Without going into much detail right now, I will add that I also experienced a season of death as my son has turned against both his father and me…I have never experienced such horrific pain mentally and physically and the anguish was numbing. I did shut out everything, and everyone except for my husband, but the time that I’ve had with the Lord was so needed because I needed to die to self. I shut out every thought, every worry, every person except God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit…I forgot how sweet the feeling is when I’m immersed in my Heavenly Father’s presence. I allowed life, worries, complaining and self pity to get in my way…and how easy it is to just shut out all that, then just turn to my Heavenly Father for what I needed. WOW, so difficult to face the truth…I prayed that God would reveal all to me, and I confessed all, and forgave all, and feel that the new season is going to be blessed with all that the Lord has for us through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving for this fresh oil that has been provided to go forth and share God’s promises. The pain was deep, vast, and the wounds were crippling, but all glory to Him because for as deep and vast the hurt, God is filling us to overflowing with His fullness. I pray for you and your family, and each of your followers that … Ephesians 3:19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Jamie,
This post spoke volumes to me. I have been around the same mountain for years. I got the answer. Thank you for sharing. I will “submit to Him and His Word and let Him do HIs thing”.
This is so good. I had a dream this am and someone said to me, “they are going to ask for your resignation.” I asked who & all I heard was ‘Good Ole Boys.’ Just before I was told this I was handed a note folded up & I put in my pants pocket. When I awoke I was really light headed and very dizzy! I was all day. I really believe God is telling me I need to die to myself which brings me to your word. I really believe this is a season of dying & that God will use it.
Awesome Word & Thanks so much!
Blessings!
All I can say is WOW!!! THAT WAS PERFECTLY STATED and helped me realize even more so that trials AREN’T ALWAYS a bad thing although it may seem that way at the time but RATHER a time to press on….curl up closer to Jesus and let Him see that our Faith in Him is just as strong as when things are great!!! You are awesome, Jamie AND I am soooooo glad that God CHOSE you as the vessel to spread His truth!!!! Thank you, Jesus!!! Ps. Hope baby is doing well!!! Sheri Kenny
Thank you Jamie for this timely word! I had a incredible caregiving job, the lady I cared for was a Christian, we experienced great times in the word and had a great relationship. Then out of nowhere I was fired. My heart is crushed and I feel like a received a death blow! The reason for letting me go didn’t seem to fit with my relationship w this lady. But I’m seeking the Lord now for what He wants to reveal to me about this next season. I sense the Lord is saying Seek Me while I may be found, call upon Him while He is near.
Thank you for your words of life in a difficult time. I will wait upon the Lord and rest in His abundant peace.
Amen! What a powerful and timely word! Jamie, you are a blessing! My prayer for you today is that you can look into the mirror and say and shake your head and say, “MMMM, I am made in the image of God and I am exactly what God made me and intended me to be! There is no one like me!”
Season of death : then my son died and went to live in heaven. This season will not promote me nor will i ever get through it . I will be în it for the remaing time here on earth. Yet He is faithfull and holds me every time that my heart cries out in grieve and that is every single day
Yet His love is the counterbalance to this grieve that weighs a hundred gezillion tons and is unshiftable . Through His love He shifts it so i can move my foot one step.
I miss you like crazy Dominic.
I’m so very sorry for your loss, dear Hilde. I am praying for you now.
Jamie thank you for reminding me what we go thru is just a season of death. I left my ex who became verbally emotionally and eventually physically abusive over time. And with no home, I am staying in hotels when I have jobs for temp travel. I left my children because they are older and did not suffer the abuse as I did. But not he is putting his emotional abuse on one of my children. I dnt have a home to provide shelter for them if they need it bc I travel for work. I honestly ask God to help me thru this season of death so that my children and I can be together again and have a roof over our heads to provide shelter. I pray God will allow me to forgive my tormentor even tho he’s so viciously angry I cannot say it to him bc he lashes out and doesn’t want to talk to me. I pray that God keep my children safe. I have no family to help me, and my ex’s family became my family, so the transition is awkward bc we are excluded from things now. My children and I are all we have. I’m shocked that their father has become so evil and treat his own flesh and blood with such disdain, but thank God that we have the strength to endure this trial. This is my terrible season of death and I ask God to help me thru in His love. Thanks again Jamie!
Thank you god 🙏🏾 for everything
Hi Jamie
Your story of hurt in a new season had me crying when reading it. I had attended a one week bible study in my church on stewardship. I said the last prayers for the session. The very next day, I got into an accident, where I lifted up something heavy and ended up with a sore back. With the pains I am going through, I am in a time of unceasing prayer to get over this pain. I am lying in bed reading every email and prayer and also praying in tongues non stop.
Thank you for letting me know every new season comes differently. To God be the Glory for great things He has done and will continue to do.
I Thank God for your experiences which teaches so much about the Chritian Faith.
Your sister in Christ so Grateful.
Pauline Mai