In Genesis 18: 14 when God told Abraham and Sarah that Sarah would conceive a child, Sarah laughed. “ Then the lord said to Abraham, “ Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘ Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
Comparison is truly a thief of joy. A part of walking in your purpose is embracing the season that God has you in. It’s difficult to embrace the season you’re in when you see the people next to you moving forward and you feel stagnant. I’ve gone through several seasons where I just felt stuck. Back in May 2016 , Obama was speaking at Rutgers Graduation, I was so excited until I soon found out that I would not be graduating because I was behind on credits. I saw all of my friends moving forward in their lives while I felt stuck. I didn’t know what was next, I knew I wanted to apply to dental school but I was also discouraged because the advisor I spoke with compared my stats to dental students and recommended that I not apply to dental school. In addition, I had everyone asking me if I was graduating and what was next for me. At this point I had already accepted that I would be stuck. Many of us including myself react like Sarah did especially when we are in a season where we feel stagnant. We see everyone moving forward and laugh and think to ourselves how can someone like me even achieve those things.
Looking back, this season was so necessary because I needed a time of being uncomfortable. I needed to know what it was like to truly have faith. At this point nothing was in my control and all I could do was lean on God. The definition of faith is “ The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things NOT SEEN” Hebrews 11:1. If you can see what’s next is that truly faith? The reason why many people including myself struggle with comparison and being content in our season is because we focus on what we see in the natural rather than what we are supposed to believe. In my mind I was behind on credits, had no direction, didn’t have the best statistics, and no money to even pay for dental school applications; so was this path really for me? God really has a sense of humor. Fast forward, I soon got a job at a dental office which was enough to pay for dental school applications, graduated from Rutgers in Fall 2016 and got my acceptance to dental school December 2016.
My point in all of this is that when you trust your season you slowly learn to stop comparing yourself to others because you know God has already made a distinct path for your life. Be content because this season is building endurance and patience in you. Even when life happens and my faith is tested, I remember the various seasons I’ve been in and what God has taught me in each one of them. I know the frustration of taking five steps forward and ten steps back. I also know the discouragement of trying to push through each morning when anxiety and depression try to take take over your mind. I know how it feels to see everyone progressing and you feel like nothing good can ever happen to you. These are truly the lies of the enemy. Your path is your path, your journey is your journey. Trust the season you are in. You won’t realize how important this silent season was until you look back on how much you grew because you stayed faithful to God’s plan. Instead of asking if you’re good enough to achieve your dreams, you need to ask, is there anything too hard for God to do in my life?