For most people living in the Midwest, this time of year brings a longing for Spring, yet a realization that Winter is still here! As the weather seesaws back and forth between spring-like conditions one day and winter conditions the next, it is a reminder that Spring will soon be here to stay! Living in this latitude, brings with it the constant rhythm of the four distinct seasons. We recognize that God has established this order into His creation. “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22) While it may seem like Spring is still a long way away, we know that, as certain as the sun will rise tomorrow, so too will the seasons change- Winter will turn to Spring, Spring to Summer, Summer to Fall, and Fall back to Winter.
The Word of God compares our lives to the seasons that come and go. In Ecclesiastes 3:1, the Bible says- “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven”. The chapter goes on to explain the ever-changing seasons of life in verses 2-8:
“A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up 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.”
The Word of God reminds us that there is a cycle to life. Just as God is providentially controlling the seasons of nature, so He is also in control of the seasons of our life. For the Christian, this should cause us to rejoice and rest in the providential working of God in our lives realizing that He is truly in control in all seasons of life.
Our circumstances in life are in a constant state of change. Yet in the midst of the changing times and seasons of our life, we can be confident that God has an all-wise purpose behind them. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that God “hath made every thing beautiful in his time”. Things may appear broken and less than ideal from our finite and limited perspective, but we can be confident that behind it all there is a sovereign God who is working out His purposes and plans in the lives of His children. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) It is important to remember that God works all things together for our good and makes everything beautiful “in His time”! Not our according to our timetable, but according to His!
“While the picture is in drawing, and the house in building, we see not the beauty of either; but when the artist has put his last hand to them, and given them their finishing strokes, then all appears very good.” (Matthew Henry)
God has orchestrated the seasons of our life in accordance with His grand design. His purpose in all that He brings us through is to make a beautiful song of our life. While we may not understand God’s purposes or the reason for what He allows in our life, especially in the moment, we can be sure that He has an all-wise and loving purpose for all He does and will surely make “every thing beautiful in His time”.
~Pastor Aaron Francis
