Times and Seasons - Anniversaries

To every thing there is a season, and a time to to every purpose under the heaven.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Life is full of times and seasons and controlled by the different times and seasons. The book of Ecclesiastes chapter 3 from the first verse to the eighth lists out many of the times and seasons of life. A look at them show that some are good and pleasant and others are not.

The sum total of the good and bad seasons , the precious moments and sober ones, the beautiful and ugly experiences and the happy and sad times collectively make you the person you are. It also makes your life rich and full. The most important thing is that through it all God has walked with you and continues to walk with you to bring you to a wealthy place. Anniversaries usually signify the beginning  of a season or turning of one season to another. Simply put an anniversary is the commemoration or celebration of a previous event like birthdays, weddings and other notable life events. Usually they are times of joy of thanksgiving and appreciation to God. However when tragedy strikes or death steals a loved one anniversaries can be about the most difficult time. It brings memories of the joy and fulfillment of the past, makes the pain of loss more intense and probably brings regrets and sadness over what should have been that is not.

The 1st of October apart from being Nigeria's 54th  Independence  would have been my 20th wedding anniversary. It was also the 3rd wedding anniversary without my husband. Did I look forward to 20 years of marriage?  Most definitely I did. I remember attending a 25th wedding anniversary party of a couple in church years ago with my husband and looking forward to when it would be our turn and how I would like to celebrate it. Anytime I attended engagement and weddings ceremonies and see the parents of the bride or groom gayly dressed and enjoying the moment I prayed for God to keep my hubby and I to experience our children's weddings together. But none of the requests were granted. Not the 25th wedding anniversary or the weddings, I didn't even get to celebrate 20 years in marriage.  I have seen or known of couples who have been married for over 40 or 50 years. I remember thinking to myself that someone gets to be married for 48 years that's the exact number of years my husband was alive and thinking that's so not fair! While I was happy for them I couldn't help wishing I had more time.

Thankfully this year the pain, regret and what ifs were less. I guess I am coming to terms with this new season. Contrary to what I thought initially this season of my life is not the beginning of the end  but the entrance to another glorious season. A season birth out of weathering the storms of loss and widowhood. A season where my faith in a loving God has been tested. A season of  strength and  hope. A season of coming forth as gold after being tested in the furnace of affliction.

We all have to deal with anniversaries and the reminders they are of what was and what could have been. But the Lord is saying 'it is not over until I say it is'. There is hope in your future. Because you have been through what you have gone through and you are still standing you can be an instrument of hope and comfort in the Father's hands.

For You, O God , have tested us;

You have refined us as silver is refined.

You brought us into the net;

You laid affliction on our backs .

You have caused men to ride over our heads;

We went through fire and through water;

But You brought us to rich fulfillment.

Psalms 66:10-12