"What time is it?" I get asked this question a lot, especially during the summer. It could be our kids trying to figure out when they will get to eat again or when we are going on an outing, or maybe it's just their curiosity driving that question. But this question has been hitting me in my spirit for the past few months. And it's a question I have been asking God, "What time is it?"
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 gives us the beauty of explaining the times and seasons of life so perfectly....
A Time 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. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.
There is a season and time for everything. My favorite time in this scripture is the time to dance because it means that celebration is happening! Life is being lived! Like everyone, I want a fun life with constant good seasons and times. But the reality of what happens in our life is that we don't live in the season of dancing. We have trials, hard, challenging, and even sad times. Sometimes, we understand our times and seasons and go with the flow; sometimes, we feel like a fish swimming upstream, trying to fight the season we are in with our lives. (I'm not talking about spiritual warfare moments; that is a different topic for a different day). I'm talking about the things in life that we walk through that are like the refining fires. The moments we don't like, but somehow and someway, you know God has to make something out of what you're going through. The one thing I have learned throughout the years is to TRUST. Faith is believing God and His word. Trusting the written word of God, and something you believe He has spoken to you about you and your life. Trust is taking that faith and saying, "You've said this word over my life, over this situation, and over the plans you have for me. Now, I trust you to fulfill Your word in Your perfect timing. And even if I don't understand what You are doing, I TRUST You!"
You won't understand every season you're in, but trust the One who is the keeper of our times. David said in Psalm 31, "My times are in your hands," and we have to believe that whatever we are going through, whatever is happening, especially if it is not a joyous season, God has a way of making even the worst moments beautiful.
Brian and I have been through some trying times like so many. There have been tears and prayers, and at the end of the day, we sometimes didn't understand why we were going through what was happening in our lives. But now I look at those seasons and realize it was refining fires that got us to where we are today. It may have been difficult, but I can honestly say I would not change going through those obstacles and pushing through. It is what made us who we are. It gave us such a more profound and sweeter relationship with each other, and God, I look back now, and if I had the choice to either...
1. Not go through those challenging moments and live life with my own plans
OR
2 . Go through challenging moments and develop the beauty that came from those difficult moments that is in our lives today
… Even though it was tough, I would choose number two. I would choose to push through. Going through trials gives you a new way of looking at life. It gave me a perspective, a heart of gratitude, and trust in the Lord that wouldn't be there if I hadn't gone through those things.
The good news is that He is faithful and true to His word! He says His word will not return to Him void (Isaiah 55:11). A lot of times, the way we think He is going to fulfill His word looks greatly different than the way it actually comes to pass, so trust He has the best for you, and He will do what He said He would do!
So, in every season, I would encourage you to trust the Lord. He is good! He is a good Father who gives good gifts to His children! He won't leave you or forsake you. Though we might not understand everything or even what the future holds, we trust Him to direct our path in every season of life. And if you're in a hard season, remember your season of dancing is just around the corner!
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