Seasons Strung Together

Every year, when I start thinking about the approach of spring, I find myself turning to a favorite author, J.R.R. Tolkien.  The words that he wrote somehow seem to help me find the patience that I will need in a few months as winter lingers and spring dawdles in its approach.

His writings strung together many chapters, characters, locations, and plot lines into multiple books to tell one story.  Each one has a part to play, and from those words I have to admit I find something new every time.  Today, these words struck me…

“‘And it is not our part here to take thought only for a season, or for a few lives of Men, or for a passing age of the world. We should seek a final end of this menace, even if we do not hope to make one.’”

There is wisdom here that I just love.  Things get hard and it is so tempting sometimes to aim for a quick fix.  Slap a little duct tape on that baby and let’s just keep on moving.  For instance, I had a menace of my own in my life, a menace of fear.  Lurking in shadows, it sought to paralyze me.  Whenever I had to move, to act that menace would be there.  At some point though, I realized that I had to deal with it, that it was a growing threat in my life.  But, I couldn’t just slap some psychological duct tape on it.  I had to deal with it, taking a hard look at why I was fearful and how I could address it.  No, it was not my part to only think of that season, maybe I could just hide for a while and let the worst of it pass.  Instead, I had to seek an end of this menace in my life. 

For me, it comes in bits and pieces, it is not cleared up in its entirety.  Only tonight it lingered about, trying to waft that sickly sweet smell towards me of nervousness with just a twinge more.  But, I hold to the promise that God did not give me a spirit of fear.  This was not his gift, so I’m not accepting it.  Instead I cling to that hope and keep journeying to make an end to this menace in my life.  It has become part of the story, part of the season.  I cannot remove it or it would remove part of who I am.  Instead, the seasons are strung together and together form the story line.