“There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven
A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear 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 throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; 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, NASB
Happy Autumn, dear sisters! I don’t know about where you are, but if my calendar didn’t tell me today was the first day of Autumn the arrival of this new season might very well go unnoticed by me. The world outside my window is 90+ degrees today, and 90 degrees spells Summer to me! So in honor of the lingering Summer summer (which, by the way was a scorcher this year), I am STILL wearing my sandals AND tossing in a sundress or two for good measure. Oh yeah…. I don’t give them up, especially not my sandals, until Jack Frost is nipping at my pretty little toes! 🙂
Even though my toes rebel and the Lord has not seen fit to bless us with the cooler temps of Fall, the season has officially changed. Before long we will stand in awe as the leaves give glory to the Father in heaven by adorning the trees in an array of rich, vibrant colors! We like to call those colors “earth tones”. LOL… Then they will shed themselves, fall to the ground, and bless someone (not me) with a reason to use that good old RAKE that’s been feeling just a little lonely in the garage for the past several months. LOL… Ahhh yes, Autumn/Fall is upon us, and we’ll feel its true essence soon enough.
In the meantime, have you noticed that even though it’s still hot outside, we are somehow still aware when the seasons are changing. It’s as if we have some kind of internal timer embedded deep within us that starts to tick a bit louder or ring periodically to prepare us for the changing of the seasonal guards.
And so the story goes with our lives, as well. King Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes 3:1 that there is a time, a season (depending on what version of the Bible you’re using) for everything.
Lately, life has been shifting so fast around me. As I began reflecting on all of the movement – the ins and outs, old and new, endings and beginnings – for a moment, it seemed almost impossible for my mind to make sense of it all. Then it dawned on me. The seasons of my life are changing.
When I sat down to write this post, I started to stop with verse 1, above. However, as I read the verses that follow I realized Solomon gave us a lot of food for thought in those first 8 verses. I could write a WHOLE LOT today. I could write a whole lot ANY day, but I digress…. Instead, I simply want to challenge you to take some time to consider God’s time for every purpose under heaven.
What season are you in?
Do you sense the season of your life changing?
Do you WISH the season of your life would change? (In some ways, I know I do!)
Which time(s) that Solomon mentions in the passage of scripture above can you truly relate to these days?
Do you need a prayer for wisdom for your new season or a prayer for healing from your old season?
I hope you’ll share your thoughts with me. See you in the comments!
Wise, Virtuous, Valuable,
I definitely sense something…still praying for wisdom and all spiritual understanding as to what God’s will is for this time. (Coll 1:9) :0)
You’ve been sensing something for a while, now. I’m sure the Lord will give you clarity and direction at the appropriate time. It’s His perfect will for you to know His perfect will for you! 🙂
Well I must say I missed the change of season. The day flew by so fast that I hadn’t even remembered it. Definitely have some seasons that I WISH would change. Still believing that change is going to come. I think I most relate to a time to tear down and time to build up.
The Lord spoke of tearing down and building when He gave Jeremiah his marching orders. That verse, Jeremiah 1:10, stays with me always. I do believe it’s time to do some “re-building”. How do you believe the Lord is calling you to get involved in the “tearing down and building up”? What do you see that needs to be torn down? What do you see that needs to be re-built?
A time to let go of old dreams and take hold of new dreams…a time to grow, a time to change. Yes, my life has changed with the seasons this year. I’ve been learning more deeply about the time to mourn and the time to heal. I think, somehow, that both of those elements are felt as autumn arrives with its beautiful dying and anticipation of new things beginning: a time to hope. Good to hear from you, sister! And I love that little sundress!!
Sweet Joanne! It’s so great to hear from you here!! It’s great to hear from you period! Yes, your life has experienced significant change of seasons this year. You’ve experienced a time to mourn, and I do hope and pray the season if dancing is upon you soon. 🙂 We need to catch up very soon. Seasons have changed on my end as well. Can’t wait to share it all with you!