Season of long sufferingšŖļøāļøš„šØļøš
- faith5018
- Mar 2, 2024
- 5 min read
āThere is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.ā
āāEcclesiastesā¬ ā3ā¬:ā1ā¬-ā8ā¬ āNIVā¬ā¬
Throughout my life, I've been blessed with many great seasons, up until I turned 17 years old, the most adversity I endured was my parents getting a divorce and the passing of loved ones. That grief both negatively and positively impacted me. It mainly drove me to succeed in life, especially in sports. It gave me an edge to push myself past my limits and use my pain for strength. In honor of my loved ones who were no longer on this earth to chase their dreams. It still fuels me and reminds me to be grateful everyday God wakes me up. Life is truly a gift to embrace. A pivotal moment for me that turned into a season of long suffering was on april 24th 2015. Up to this point, I felt on top of the world, as the varsity starting center fielder and lead off hitter. I carried a chip on my shoulder. Afterall, I dedicated my life to baseball, every year since I was 6. I prayed for the opportunity and I was living my dream. Pursuing to play collegiate level baseball. As everything was coming together. It all fell apart in a moment. I always said I never take anything for granted but until you can no longer do something you love. It's hard to truly not take anything for granted. A foul ball hit me in the back of the head resulting in a severe concussion. It was a "1/1,000,000 type of thing to happen", as my coach Justin Swallie said. That foul ball mentally shattered me and gave me ongoing concussion symptoms for years to come. This season of my life became even worse when I endured another 6 diagnosed concussions the following year. I truly didn't think I would make it out of this horrible season. My faith was tested, my whole will to live was tested, I felt isolated and alone. Constantly searching for relief from the debilitating symptoms brought me to my lowest point. In these times of great adversity, I lost myself. Quite literally, my personality changed not to mention my entire life changed. The things I loved to do were no longer options in my mind. Everything that came so easily before was such a burden and frustration. I became angry and bitter. No one was really there for me other than God. I realized God is all I need but I still desired support from those closest to me. I never really received it because they couldn't understand my "invisible symptoms". The only thing that kept me going was Gods grace. I truly had enough during this season. Instead of giving up I just put the petal to the medal and went full forth at whatever I could to keep my mind off the nightmare I was living in. I found my outlet through many different things that I never identified with before. I entered new terriority that was unknown to me. Refusing to give up increased my faith and strengthened me to be who I am today. I learned to fight in this season, I learned to never give up, I learned to just do something. I simply made progress by just doing something. One thing led to another and now I'm doing something meaningful as a result of going through this long suffering. Deep down I thought God was punishing me and I deserved this. Although I may have deserved that suffering, I believe it was spiritual warfare. Almost like God allowed the enemy to attack me for me to come out of the "fire" refined as a warrior. It was horrible but i'm still standing by Gods grace and am grateful for it all. The best advice I can give to anyone who is going through a similar season of feeling like there is no end to your suffering. Just cling to Jesus. He will be the only one to be there for you when no one else is. He will be the only one who understands you when no one else can. Here are some verses that helped me keep going through my season of long suffering. I hope this helps someone who has felt stuck for years. Just know this is temporary and speak words of life even when you feel like there is no hope in your situation.
Now I am running, lifting, and doing the things I never thought I would do again. It took a lot of effort to get here. God always gives us the opportunity and the strategy but it's up to us to take action in order to see results! Please reach out if you have battled with post consusion syndrome. I understand what it's like to fight through every day with little to no support. I see your pain even though no one else may see it. You are not crazy your symptoms are real and you are strongest when you are weakest. Keep the faith! This is preparing you for what God has for you.
āHe says, āBe still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.āā
āāPsalmsā¬ ā46ā¬:ā10ā¬ āNIVā¬ā¬
"Then the Lord said to Satan, āHave you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.ā āDoes Job fear God for nothing?ā Satan replied. āHave you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.ā The Lord said to Satan, āVery well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.ā Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.ā
āāJobā¬ ā1ā¬:ā8ā¬-ā12ā¬ āNIVā¬ā¬
ābecause you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.ā
āāJamesā¬ ā1ā¬:ā3ā¬ āNIVā¬ā¬
"because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.āā
āāHebrewsā¬ ā12ā¬:ā6ā¬ āNIVā¬ā¬
āHe replied, āBecause you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, āMove from here to there,ā and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.āā
āāMatthewā¬ ā17ā¬:ā20ā¬ āNIVā¬ā¬
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;ā
āāProverbsā¬ ā3ā¬:ā5ā¬ āNIVā¬ā¬
āI consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.ā
āāRomansā¬ ā8ā¬:ā18ā¬ āNIVā¬ā¬
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