Seasons

Welcome to Our Daily Bread. I'm Sheridan Voisey and I've titled our reading today, Seasons. I recently came across a helpful word, wintering. Just as winter is a time of slowing down in much of the natural world, author Catherine May uses this word to describe our need to rest and recuperate during life's cold seasons. I found the analogy helpful after losing my father to cancer, which sapped me of energy for months. Resentful of this forced slowing down, I fought against my winter, praying summer's life would return.

But I had much to learn. Ecclesiastes famously says there's a season for every activity under the heavens. A time to plant and to harvest, to weep and to laugh, to mourn and to dance. I had read these words for years but only started to understand them in my wintering season. For though we have little control over them, each season is finite and will pass when its work is done. And while we can't always fathom what it is, God is doing something significant in us through them. My time of mourning wasn't over.

When it was, dancing would return. Just as plants and animals don't fight winter, I needed to rest and let it do its renewing work. Lord, a friend prayed, would you do your good work in Sheridan during this difficult season? It was a better prayer than mine, for in God's hands, seasons are purposeful things.

Let's submit to his renewing work in each one. Today's scripture reading is from Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verses 1 to 14. There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to uproot. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build. A time to weep and a time to laugh. A time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them. A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing.

A time to search and a time to give up. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. 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.

What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart, yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.

That each of them may eat and drink and find satisfaction in all their toil. This is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever.

Nothing can be added to it, nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear Him. Let's pray. Father God, we thank You that with You seasons are purposeful things. Would You help us to discern what season we're in right now so we can hand it back to You? We can trust You knowing that You're going to use this season really well for Your glory and for our good. And so we submit it to You this very day. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening. I'm Sheridan Boise and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread ministries.