A Season For Everything

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away.  Ecclesiastes 3:1-5



Do you really believe that God has a purpose for everything that you go through in life? The good, the bad and the ugly. I became a Christian at an early age. I grew up in the church. But there was a period in my life where I was sure that what was going on was working against God's plan and was not a part of God's plan.

Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-15. The very first verse of this passage says, 'There is a season for everything, a season for every activity under heaven'. Really?!?!? The writer goes on to contrast different things that made me think about my life. For instance, 'a time to be born and a time to die'. I thought about that for a moment. Before I could be born again, I had to die to self. 'A time to plant and a time to harvest'. Another pretty simple concept for me to see. Throughout most of my life I had to agree that what I planted in my spirit and my mind is what I received in return. But some of the other concepts listed were a little harder to swallow, 'a time to kill, a time to tear down, a time to cry, a time to grieve'. All of these things sounded rather painful. Nevertheless, I do believe God's word is true, so I had to figure out what all this meant and how it applied to me.

I came to one very important conclusion. Timing is important. After everything I had been through, I realized that God did not take me through those things until I was ready. Each and every trial, heartache and rocky situation had come at a time when I could handle it. Of course, I didn't think that I could. But I remembered a prayer that I had prayed a very long time ago for the Lord to use me in any way he wanted. At the time that I prayed that prayer I did not realize what that would mean. I lived a few more years and I saw that while I was changing there were times when I would look in the mirror and still see an image of myself and not one of God. So God had to try me and test me, put me in the fire, remove some people away from me, take away those things I had come to rely on more than him. But the timing of all this had to be strategically planned by God, all in his perfect will. If it came too soon then I would have given up and ran away. If it came to late then I might not have had the opportunity to help my brother or sister along the way. He had to get rid of some distractions. He had to remove some barriers.

You see every year there are four seasons, winter, spring, summer and fall. During each one of these seasons a different activity takes place. In the winter it becomes bitter cold and has the shortest days and the longest nights. It is often compared to a time of death. Then there is spring, the transition season. This is usally a time of rebirth, renewal and regrowth. It is also the season with the most unstable weather, because although summer is peaking in, there are some cold days still lingering on. Next comes summer. Summer is known as the wet season and during this time there are often food shortages before crops reach their full maturity. And then there is fall when we think about harvest time and enjoying the fruits of our labor. We usually forget about how much work takes place at harvest time. You see because right along with the good crops there are some weeds growing right next to them that must be pulled out at the root. But notice how all the seasons work together. One would not survive and serve it's true purpose without the one preceding it.

That's how our lives are. In order to move to the next season of our life we have to go through the season before it. There are no shortcuts. If you plant during the winter, it will die. If you try to harvest before the crop reaches maturity, you cut off the growth. It is not as valuable. There is a purpose to your life. Believe it! Receive it! No matter what situation you are facing, go on through it. I promise you will be better because of it!

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,


Thank you for choosing me as a part of your plan. Right now I am in the ____________ season of my life. And I admit I don't fully understand what it is that you are doing. But I trust you Lord. I trust you with this process of molding me into the person that you want me to be. Help me to see your divine hand working on me and help me to walk in my purpose. In Jesus' Name Amen.