For Everything There’s a Time

While this moment in time seems a relatively good season for my family, I also see many others within the sphere of my life in a season of struggle with difficult challenges. My heart sinks when people suffer with a broken relationship, life threatening illness, or the loss of a loved one.

Seasons come, and seasons go.  Almost 50 years ago there was a radio song by the Byrds called “Turn Turn Turn” that quoted from Ecclesiastes 3.  More recently, Shawn McDonald wrote a song titled “Time” which also borrows from this passage:

To everything there is a season, 
  and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
 A time to be born, and a time to die; 
 A time to plant, a time to reap that which is planted;
 A time to kill, and a time to heal; 
 A time to break down, and a time to build up;
 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; 
 A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; 
 A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
 A time to get, and a time to lose; 
 A time to keep, and a time to cast away;
 A time to rend, and a time to sew; 
 A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
 A time to love, and a time to hate; 
 A time of war, and a time of peace.

Many have wondered if there is anything reassuring about this passage. So here is my response.

• If your life is filled with ups and downs, you happen to be normal and you have lots of company.
• If we are in a challenging and difficult time of life, we can have hope that it is just for a season, and there will light ahead.
• If we are a time of comfort and happiness, we should give thanks and recall these times when darkness comes our way.

We learn to have empathy for others when we suffer through life’s trials. Often our greatest struggle may become our biggest area for providing hope to others.

God uses the various chapters of our life as an opportunity for growth; to learn to trust Him in all circumstances and draw closer. We often don’t understand why things happen in the season we are in. It’s about that time I put on Amy Grant’s  song “Somewhere Down the Road”.

Whatever season you are in right now, know that the God of the universe hears you in your tears of sorrow… and your tears of joy.  Just like Mandisa sings “He Is With You”

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