For a reason or for a season

Last summer I reconnected with a former student of mine who is currently incarcerated. His name is Brandon. When we reconnected, it was good. He wrote me letters - a dozen pages often - about his life change and the things that he went through to become the man he is today. He faces three and a half more years of a prison sentence of almost twenty years, but the man who will walk out of that building will be nothing like the kid who walked in.

I bring this up because Brandon said something to me last summer that made me sad. He said, "Mrs. L - some people come in to your life for a reason, and some come into your life for a season." His acceptance that some people would mean a lot to you today, but their time in your life may be done tomorrow was an attitude I had never encountered or experienced before. Until now.

I'm not talking about the obvious. My husband and I will always be a part of each other's lives, even divorced. We have two humans who will be sure that we see each other quite often, and I feel as if our friendship will change and grow in a different direction. I'm referring to people who have come into my life since our separation - for one reason or another. People who I thought, once I developed strong relationships with them, would stick around because of our common thread - Jesus Christ.

Not so.

I've discovered that even Christians are brought into your life for a reason or for a season. Some stick around because God's plan was for that relationship to be a forever-friendship. Some abandon you after their work is done - to do their work elsewhere or because the outcome wasn't what they had expected. Those who disconnect aren't bad people - they are simply doing what they believe God has intended for them to do. And I am learning to accept that.

I really believed that a person who follows the Lord was one who showed equal amounts of love to every person and was accepting of all differences, but what I am finding is that not all of God's people see Him the way that I see Him or have a relationship with Him the same way I do. And that's okay. I believe that I'm being told to accept and honor that. Does it mean that we continue our friendship in the same fashion? No. What it means is that I thank Him for bringing that person to me to help me grow - not just with presence, but with absence as well.

So during my prayers over the coming weeks, my request is for a new set of warriors to be delivered to me. I already have a good handful, but I need to reach out to them and grow with Him first - and then with them. I'm giddy to discover new people and continue to kindle the fires of my current relationships, and I am thankful to Him for sending me my seasonal friends as well.

Namaste.