What season are you in?
I've been thinking about seasons lately. Seasons of growth. Seasons of maintaining and incorporating growth. Seasons of prosperity. Seasons of austerity and reigning in. Seasons of joy. Seasons of grief. Seasons of work. Seasons of rest. Seasons of ministry. Seasons of being ministered unto.
As the writer of Ecclesiastes said...
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
(Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, NIV)
What may be right for you to do during one season of your life may not be right during another season of your life. Therefor, it's important to know which season you are in!
Too often we think of the Christian life as one long "constant." Is it not ok to admit that sometimes we are in a season of "_________" and then focus on the task required of us during that season, even though that may take us out of our normal routine?
Think of Jesus. He had seasons of temptation. Seasons of glory. Seasons of fun and laugter. Seasons of great grief. Seasons of obscurity. Seasons of great popularity. Seasons of preparation. Seasons of activity. However, I believe that Jesus was quite in touch with the seasons his Father had prepared for him and was guiding him into ant through.
Once we accept the premise that there are "seasons" in our life, what if we apply what the Bible tells us about God's role seasons? Daniel 2:20-21 (NIV) says...
"Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are his.
He changes times and seasons;
he sets up kings and deposes them."
Daniel 2:20-21 (NIV)
Don't you think that since God is in control of the times and seasons even of kings, that he is not in control of your seasons? Is that comforting? Scarey? Can you thank him for the season that you're in, even if it's not comfortable?
Yes, we'd like to think we choose our seasons. But life works better when you get in synch with the seasons God has planned for you. What season does he have you in now? What is the main point of this season? What is your main task during this season?
You may need to get out your Bermuda shorts. Then again, it may be time for sweaters. They're both very hip, but not too helpful during the wrong season.
PS No white after Labor Day...
Special thanks to Meghan Hoover for her help with the scriptural research on this article.
3 comments:
This made me think of the song by casting crowns (praise you in this storm). We have these seasons and when we're in a difficult time or a time we don't understand the why's. The best thing we can do it trust God knowing he is still in control and there is a reason for these seasons. It's easy to praise God when things are going good, but we need to remember to give him praises in these troublesome times, too.
I just read something in Duet this past Sabbath and it sd "God is bringing you through this wilderness, to test you, to see if you would obey Him." I was so encouraged by that, even tho I already "know" it. That's not a fear of "punishment", it's a reminder that in fact, there is an end, a promise to look forward to and that God is still in it.
I think I'm in the season of grieving, tearing and mending. I hate it. It's so easy to want to skim through it. Selah
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