The Seasons of Life
Ecclesiastes 3:1,2 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. There is a time to be born and a time to die. There is a time to plant and a time to pull up plants. (NRSV)
Whether we like it or not, whether we would have planned it this way or not, whether we prefer the warmer weather or the cooler weather, the drier weather or the wetter weather … the seasons march inexorably on.
Spring, summer, autumn, winter … spring, summer, autumn, winter. There’s nothing we can do to change that. And if the truth be known, the contrast between, say, a summer barbeque and a winter stew is actually quite a delightful one. Of course, depending on where you live, it may not quite work that way, but you get my drift.
Sometimes though, we find ourselves in a season of life that we’d rather not be in – a difficult stretch, an uncomfortable patch. And our instinct is to fight the season as though somehow we can turn winter into summer ahead of time. But the truth is this:
Ecclesiastes 3:1,2 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. There is a time to be born and a time to die. There is a time to plant and a time to pull up plants. (NRSV) … and so on.
Sure, if you’ve broken something then set about fixing it. If you’ve made a bad choice, do what you can to turn that around. I’m not saying we should just sit there and do nothing. But at the same time, God invariably leads us into these seasons with a purpose. Sometimes we’d love to be out there planting new things, but He’s still in the process of pulling up the old ones.
Seasons are God’s idea. They always have been. Spring, summer, autumn, winter … there’s nothing we can do to change that. The sooner we get with that plan, the more we’ll find ways of enjoying the season we’re in.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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Regenia Chappell
Thank you for that sweet reminder that I needed to hear. I’m new at listening to you, but may God forever bless ...
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Thank you for that sweet reminder that I needed to hear. I’m new at listening to you, but may God forever bless you and lead and guide you along this pathway of ministry.
Charlesetta P. Zawiea
Seasons are indeed unchangeable with man. I’m now pregnant and I wake up everyday feeling the same because ...
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Seasons are indeed unchangeable with man. I’m now pregnant and I wake up everyday feeling the same because that’s the season 🤔🙏. Thanks so much for the labor of love and understanding.
merril
I love ‘Fresh’, and some of the other items I receive from other special teachers and friends. Spot-on to ...
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I love ‘Fresh’, and some of the other items I receive from other special teachers and friends. Spot-on to what today brings. Thank you.
Connie Rosario
On Guahan, a US colony in the Pacific, 13° from the equator, we don’t really have the four seasons. Everyday is ...
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On Guahan, a US colony in the Pacific, 13° from the equator, we don’t really have the four seasons. Everyday is either hot, raining, or another Supertyphoon. But we have other seasons. Family composition may change. You might have to move to another village, get or lose a job. There are cultural seasons. We are in the midst of a drug culture, or a decolonization culture, or an inafa’maolek (making good) culture, or, as currently, an LBGT Pride culture (ugh). Financial seasons; in a blink of an eye you could find yourself rich, middle class, poor, or even homeless. All my life my philosophy was there are no problems, just different directions. As in, the water utility is out, go catch rain water in a bucket. When I found Christ, I discovered the apostle Paul had the same idea. He found contentment no matter his circumstances through the love,power, and spirit of Christ. In any season, we can choose to find joy, and share joy with others.