A Season, A Reason, A Lifetime

I can't call the title of this post my own. It comes from the aforementioned book I'm reading, but I couldn't think of a better way to say it. 

Winn Claybaugh, (I feel like we're friends by now), talks about the relationships we have in our lives. Each relationship we have--whether great or small, long or short, good or bad--enters our life for a purpose. Winn classifies all of the relationships we have as being for a season, a reason, or a lifetime.

As I reflect on the many different relationships I have had throughout my life, I feel that I too can put each relationship into one (or more) of these three categories. 

Some relationships only last a short while. These relationships are for a certain season. Maybe it was your high school group of friends. People who were in your life for just that small season. They could have had a huge impact on you, but once high school was over, you parted ways. Maybe it was a roommate you had for one year. You had a relationship--good, bad, whatever. It was for a season. Relationships that last a season are very important. They help shape who you are and what you'll become. 

Other relationships come into your life for a reason. Maybe you teamed up with someone because you were going through similar trials. Or possibly you were drawn to someone because they knew a lot about what you were interested in. These relationships are for a reason. There is some purpose for the friendship you built. These relationships are also very important. They allow you to learn so much about yourself and others.

The other relationships you have may be for a lifetime. These relationships include family, best friends, people you are with often. Lifetime relationships are exciting and rewarding. They are the people who you go throughout life with. The ones you learn, grow, change, mature with. Lifetime relationships must be cultivated and renewed often. They must not be taken for granted. These may be the richest relationships you will ever have. 

I honestly believe that every person who crosses your path was put there for a certain reason. Maybe to help you learn a lesson, to encourage you, to help you understand something, to be a mentor. Heavenly Father knows us perfectly and knows who we need and when we need them. I am learning to trust in Him more as I try to learn from every person I meet. No one enters our lives for no reason at all. And that is exciting!