Sitting in Sweetness

Today, I'm sitting in sweetness.

A season where life just feels full. 

I have a job I love, a new adventure that as I lay my head down at night, I feel exhausted, and so very fulfilled.

I've gotten to see God answer prayers, prayers that I was almost too exhausted to ask again, prayers that felt impossible, prayers that were answered as God often does;

Effortlessly,

And timely,

And in a personal,

And so very intimate way.

My heart feels full. 

Today I'm smack dab in the middle of a season of sweetness.

But as I looked back at blogposts over the last year, I remembered the moments that led up to this season.

And those were anything but sweet.

They were full of tears,

And frustration,

And confusion,

And changing of plans,

And letting go of dreams.

Those moments were hard to swallow,

And difficult to accept.

Those moments were bitter.

But as I sit here today,

I have to stop and think.

I have to wonder.

Would I recognize the sweetness, if I hadn't felt the bitter?

Would I have seen the prayers answered, 

If I hadn't first prayed those prayers on tear stained journal pages?

Would my heart feel as full right now,

If at one time, it hadn't felt just a little by empty?

So maybe,

In a way,

My prayers aren't being answered in this season of sweetness.

Maybe my prayers were being answered in a season of bitter,

But I just had to come out on the other side to recognize it. 

Maybe the sweetest times aren't when you're sitting in the middle of the sweetness.

Maybe the sweetest times are when you're in the middle of the bitterness, because those times are so very necessary to being able to see the moments of sweetness. 

So maybe in my next season where life feels hard to swallow,

Or hard to accept,

Maybe in the next season where life just looks bitter,

I can sit, 

And wait,

And recognize,

That this might be the sweetest season yet. 

Because it's because of the bitter,

Not in spite of it,

That you'll be able to see the sweet.