Just as seasons make up the calendar year, there are seasons of life. Solomon delineates some of these in his search for the meaning of life. He understood God is a God of order in our lives and seasons.
Warren Wiersbe says, “God is sovereignly in control and has a time and a purpose for everything (Rom. 8:28). This is not fatalism, nor does it rob us of freedom or responsibility. It is the wise providence of a loving Father Who does all things well and promises to make everything work for good.”[1]
Solomon’s Seasons
Solomons wrote 14 couplets to describe the whole range of human activity. He began with the most basic, Ecc.3: 2 A time to be born and a time to die. [2] Then he moved on to creative and destructive activities, emotions, relationships, possessions, and general human activities.
Ecc:3:2b A time to plant and a time to harvest.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
6 A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace. [3]
Seasons are God’s Idea
These seasons are all from God; if we cooperate with God’s timing, life will not be meaningless. I learned an invaluable lesson in a leadership course. There are seasons to life, so transition with them. We are often sad to see a season change, or perhaps the next season is less enjoyable. This results in us getting stuck because we don’t transition. Yet, God has a purpose for each season.
God is in control of all these seasons. As people, we go through times and seasons which are not in our control. We must trust God to lead us through as we transition from season to season. Life is a journey, but God promises to be with us every season. Psalm 23: 3b He (God) guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. 4 Even when I walk through the darkest alley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.[4]
To learn more about the seasons of life, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/lament-time
[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Satisfied (p. 47). Victor Books.
[2-4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ec 3:2). Tyndale House Publishers.