The Balance of Seasons


This week the Kansas City area saw it's first snowfall.. albeit just a smattering of the white stuff.. and I reacted in my typical "I hate winter" fashion. Now many like my son love winter and the snow but I simply don't. As I pondered my week I thought of the verse from the third chapter of Ecclesiastes that begins with this verse:
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven"
The list of seasons included in the following verses includes a variety of events: birth and death; sowing and reaping; weeping and laughing; speaking and listening; love and hate; war and peace; and others. What struck me in the list was the contrasts. My guess is that most of us like the birthing and laughing but not so much the other more negative aspects of life like death and weeping.

Perhaps life is not really life unless it is balanced out with trials and hardship? Maybe we would not really know love if we had not experienced hate; and maybe the word "peace" would be meaningless with the word "war". I am beginning to appreciate how life like the year has it seasons.

Of course the yearly seasons are not always predictable.. sometimes summer weather looks a bit like fall of spring.. even though we expect one thing we often get something else. I guess a secret of living a contented life is to understand this idea of times and seasons and to not get too disappointed when it snows in October.. did I say that? I hate snow

I guess what I am trying to get at.. I seem to be rambling a bit.. is to not lose hope in those difficult life seasons.. and remember this verse from Hosea 6:
"Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth."
Though the season may be dry.. He will come with refreshing rains. Though the times are dark.. He will come with glorious sunlight. Hang in there friend. God is faithful. There is a balance to the seasons of our lives.

8 comments:

  1. Thank you... so true. It's sometimes so hard to see the big picture, but God IS faithful and He will take us through the valleys and over the peaks safe in Him.

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  2. I have never desired to live in a location which did not experience all 4 seasons. Although as I've gotten older I like the "winter" least of all. Maybe because I am aware I am in the "winter" of my life span.....but then glorious day.....to be with Him in Heaven!
    Susan

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  3. It is hard to see the big picture Mike.. trusting God can sometimes be so hard when life doesn't make sense.

    I think that I could do Tulsa Susan.. your snow melts pretty fast :)

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  4. Thankyou Bob for this encouraging story on seasons. I'm going through a terrible time right now. I have been for years but I thought things were getting better but now two weeks before christmas my husband has said he doesn't want to be with me anymore AGAIN. This isn't the first time he's done this to me. So I'm pretty downhearted at the moment, but trusting in my precious Lord and Saviour Jesus to bring me through this and His will be done. Please pray for me and my husband Tony my brothers and sisters.

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  5. ps. My birthday today. 47yrs old but don't really feel like celebrating but nevertheless there's always our salvation and the joy of knowing Jesus to celebrate

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  6. Don't worry folks I'm not always like this normally people say I'm the happiest person they meet. Sorry I'm a bit down but never out with Jesus on my side. If God is for us who can be against us and no weapon formed against us shall prosper

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  7. Your comments brought tears to my eye Lisa.. so sorry that life has found you in this season. I admire your faith in the midst of this storm. Happy Birthday dear sister.. hope this next year is a great one for you and one filled with unexpected joy.

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  8. Thanks Bob, precious brother. I don't know what I'd do without my weekly prayer meetings with my local church and I'm really glad I found your blog quite by accident but we know nothing is by accident hey? I stand on Romans 8:28. I read your personal story and admire you too how you've come through adversity and trust in our loving Lord. I feel I've found a friend in a dear wise christian brother and love reading your Eye For Redemption pages. God bless and keep you and yours. Lisa

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