The Changing of Seasons... or Not

So this is Minnesota.  We pride ourselves in our "nice", our lakes, and our seasons.  There are several jokes about the weather, including the traditional "if you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes" and "we have 2 seasons, winter and road construction".  I believe Jeff Foxworthy even has a set making fun of Minnesota.

This year spring seems to be coming late and I've been patient.  I wasn't hating winter, I didn't feel like we had an extraordinary amount of snow and only a couple real cold snaps (for those of you in more southern climates I define "real cold snap" by the kind of cold that freezes your snot instantly when you walk outside). I'm typically happy as long as the weather remains around 20F.

Last week we were supposed to get some snow, and I was assuring people on Facebook that "it won't last" so we shouldn't be worried about it.  Then we got more snow.  And then more.  And guess what?

van at 2:56pm, we arrived home around 11:40am and it was only slightly raining

When I left for Bible Study Fellowship (hereafter BSF) this morning my yard was almost bare.  There were a few snow chunks left on the side of the driveway from the plow but that was about it.  When I got home from BSF it was kind of rain/icing, which I guess is hail but it wasn't pummeling the earth as one assumes when they think of hail.  An hour later I looked out the window and the ground was covered in snow and it was falling.  Hard.

It got me thinking.  This seems to be the year spring refuses to come.  I mean really, I saw on the news last week that the latest this man remembered tapping maple trees for sap (to make syrup) was April 5 and this was the 10th already and he had just gotten another 300 gallons.  And now here it's the 18th and we're getting more snow.  But how often is our spiritual life like this?  How often are we just waiting and praying for this season to end?

Funnily, we talked a bit about this in BSF this morning.  We're doing the study of Genesis and right now talking about Joseph.  Joseph had a dream that he was going to lead his brothers, a position typically held by the eldest boy.  His brothers were jealous and they sold him to slave traders when he was 17.  Joseph then became a slave in Potiphar's household.  Potiphar could see God's favor in Joseph's life and Joseph eventually became a personal aide and he oversaw Potiphar's entire household.  Potiphar was a leader in Egyptian society, he was likely in charge of Pharaoh's safety, his bodyguard.  Joseph was learning about Egyptian culture, their leadership, and establishing his reputation.  Eventually Potiphar's wife noticed and made advances, which Joseph firmly refused.  She got upset and made up a story that Joseph tried to force himself on her so he was thrown into jail.  Joseph found favor with the prison guard and was promoted through the prison ranks to eventually be in charge of the other prisoners in this prison reserved for offenders of the king's court.

Keeping in mind that Joseph had a dream where he believed his brothers would be bowing to him, imagine how he felt being sold into a foreign land and then thrown in prison for no good reason.  In hindsight we can see that he was being prepared for the day when he would be reinstated to Pharaoh's house and become an overseer of food during a long famine that would've otherwise obliterated the Egyptian and Hebrew people.  We can see that during that time Joseph was learning about the culture and customs of the Egyptians, and gaining trust as a reputable and honorable man.  During that time do you think Joseph thought daily that this trial was to prepare him for the future?  Do you think God revealed that this season would end at an appointed time?  I don't think so.  God was clearly with Joseph and I have no doubt that His strength encouraged Joseph and he certainly had God's favor in his life.  But really.  Don't you think Joseph at least sometimes hoped and prayed against all odds that this season would finally come to an end?

How often do we say, "Okay Lord, I get it.  I learned my lesson, can we wrap this up now?"  We're ready for this season to be over.  I'm sure Joseph thought his season was over when he rose in power at Potiphar's house, only to be thrown into prison and humbled again.  But God was preparing Joseph for a time where he'd not only have his brothers serving him, but he'd preserve God's people during the famine.  During the lecture this morning the teaching leader said, "Don't waste your suffering".  Don't waste that time just wishing for it to end or becoming bitter.  Use that time to grow, to learn, and to allow yourself to be used.  While Joseph was in prison he helped his fellow prisoners, he was compassionate and served God through it all.  He didn't waste his suffering and he lived in the season he was in, even if he felt like a changing of seasons was long overdue.

Sunset on the lake

Have you ever learned something unexpectedly from a season you wished would end?  What got you through it?