This, Too, Shall Pass

I’m sure we have all either said the phrase “This, too, shall pass” or at least heard it said. Most often those words are spoken as words meant to encourage and comfort someone who might be going through a particularly tough or upsetting period of their life and the words are said to say, “Things not going so great? This, too, shall pass. It will get better sooner or later. The thing is, I’ve learned in my life that it works the opposite way as well. “Everything hunky-dory and going your way? Well, enjoy it while you can, because this, too, shall pass.  Life is filled with ups and downs and twists and turns, and changes as do the seasons, so enjoy it all while you can, because this season will come to an end.

I’m quite certain that we have all enjoyed seasons of favor where it seems that everything falls neatly into place and it all comes together for us with minimal effort on our own part.  Those are great times… but we all know that the tide is going to turn and it can’t last forever.  For me, the past two years have been, by and large, the opposite. Yes, there have been some ups in that period, but for almost two years, beginning with the storm that ripped the roof from the church which I pastor, followed by 8 inches of snow that came 6 days later filling our building with water… and for two years we have been in a state of transition and rebuilding, not only the building but the congregation as well.

During this time key people opted to leave the church. Others moved. We’ve fought with contractors and the insurance company. Illnesses and family needs have caused those helping me rebuild to cease helping. It’s just been a rough period and I’m exhausted, physically, emotionally and even spiritually. Through it all, I encourage myself with the knowledge, “This, too, shall pass.”

Right now, I’m battling with Viral Arthritis which has shut me down from working on the building completely as I ached from pretty well every joint in my body. I have a deadline on getting a particular job done, and I’m seeing that I’m probably not going to make that deadline. But the reality is that this is a self-imposed deadline, and life is not going to come to an end because it is not completed. I just have to give a little and not be so tough on myself. Concerning these past two years, I keep telling myself that it HAS to get better soon. It just has to. I keep reminding myself of something John Lennon once said, “Everything will be okay in the end. If it is not okay, it's not the end."