Ecclesiastes 3:1
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the Heaven
October 11, 2020
Autumn is my favorite season. My other favorite season is spring. And it’s so amazing to me that, unplanned, I gave birth to my two children in my two favorite seasons, my daughter in spring and my son in fall.
But there’s just something about fall that’s so special. I love the leaves changing from hues of orange, yellow, and red to denote the changing of the seasons. I love the brisk air that fall brings. I love Thanksgiving, spending time with family through the holiday season. And I love that fall is the season of harvest, a time to reap the benefits of labor from spring.
Throughout our lives we go through many seasons as well. Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the Heaven. But, unlike natural seasons, God has His own divine time. We may stay in some seasons longer and some shorter than others. And by the same token, unlike the natural seasons, where everyone is on the same time frame and in the same season, God has different people in different seasons of their lives at different times. Only God knows the rhythm and timing of our seasons. So we just have to trust God with the seasons of our lives.
At this same exact time last year, I had just gone through a horrendous time of going through legal battles for over three years related to my divorce. And I represented myself, which was no easy feat. But God was really my Attorney, and therefore I had the best.
I remember thinking how hard I had worked and how much energy and time I had spent on all of the legal battles, not to mention the emotional toil and strain that it took throughout the process. I thought, Lord I need to get away for some peace and quiet time, with just You and me.
I prayed about where to go and the Holy Spirit led me to Lake Tahoe. As I was driving there, I could feel the brisk fall breeze. I saw the trees full of lovely fall hues, and the lake shimmering with the fall glow. Oh yeah, God knew exactly what I needed.
I was so eager to get away and picked out a place that I saw online because the pictures seemed to represent all that Lake Tahoe stood for: the beautiful tall redwood trees, and the glorious lakes, and hills. It looked like you could even smell the fresh air through the pictures. The place looked fabulous.
Well, it was already dark when I arrived, really it looked pitch black. I don’t recall leaving that late, but I do remember arriving to the place and thinking hmmm, this doesn’t look anything like the pictures that I saw. I decided to give it a go though, at least until morning. I didn’t really want to be out looking for another place at night in an unfamiliar city. And I thought what if the other place isn’t all that it’s supposed to be either.
The first two sets of keys to my rental didn’t work and I was tired of going back and forth to the office, so I decided to wait for the office assistant in my car. This was not looking or feeling good. The next thing I know, the office assistant comes running towards my car out of breath and he looked like he had just seen a ghost. He said that he had just been chased by a big bear. A bear!!! So on top of everything else there’s a big bear out here chasing people?
He asked if I had food to bring in because if the bear smelled food he might come back and that he was for sure there were other bears lurking as well. Uh yeah, I had food. But I told him you don’t have food and he came after you. He agreed. Wow, I thought Jesus help me. Between it looking like Jason was going to pop out from somewhere and the big bear chasing people, maybe to eat them, and all his other bear friends coming, I thought what have I done?
Needless to say there were all kinds of problems with that place. The first room was dirty- bed not even made. The office assistant said that they only make beds for rooms that were booked. Wow, not true, because my room was booked. The second room didn’t have a keypad, and the actual keys didn’t work because supposedly the locks were changed. The third room had big holes in the ceiling. And the fourth room had all kinds of things under the bed. By then, I was too exhausted to fight off bears and maybe even Jason, so I stayed in a room in the main building close to the office until the morning, and then I got out of dodge.
This time I made sure to not be in such a hurry and to really seek God and wait for His reply in where to stay. And this time I carefully checked Yelp. The Holy Spirit led me to a beautiful, beautiful place. It was so very serene.
I could see that God was up to something. One night I was up just watching the moon, as I love looking at the full moon and watching the sunrise. I had been trying to understand the significance and meaning behind all of the changes that I had undergone that first night and over the past several years up to that point, as that first night really mirrored my life for the past several years, one change after another and things not going at all as I had planned. And then the Holy Spirit gave me something so profound as an answer to all of the changes during that night and over the past several years.
Over the past several years, I could see God taking me through an adjustment, refining, and editing phase to move me into the next season of my life. God was bringing me into my fall, my season of reaping. I could see that during God’s adjustment, refining, and editing of my life, sometimes we have to reevaluate, change direction, and move on. Yes, sometimes to reap what God has for us and move into the next season of our lives, we need to make some sacrifices, which may involve changing course.
The Holy Spirit was preparing me for my next season and saying ‘Don’t resist the feeling of change’. It’s so very important to accept and appreciate each season and all of the changes it brings, just as it comes, and as we are in it. It’s so important to give God thanks in, for, and through all of our seasons. Hebrews 13:15 By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name.
Each season is to teach us important life lessons, to help us to grow, to adjust our thinking, our view, our outlook, to refine us spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically, basically in every way. Each season is for God to edit our lives, to take out what shouldn’t be there and to put in what should be, so that He can get us ready and take us into the next season of our lives. Each season of our lives is to get us to where and to make us who we are supposed to be in God.
Blessed are those who are serving God and delight in His ways, meditating on His word day and night. God says you will bring forth fruit in your season. Only God knows which season is your season to bring forth fruit. But one thing is for sure when you are abiding by God’s word, whatever you do will prosper. Psalms 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. Psalms 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Psalms 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
No, things don’t always work out the way that we planned. But when we are serving God, we will prosper in everything that we do, because let me just say that spiritual retreat was life changing and amazing!
Embrace this season of your life. God is up to something.
Prayer:
Dear Father God,
Thank You Lord for all the seasons of my life. Lord, I know that each season is to get me to where I’m supposed to be in You. Lord when I look back at the seasons of my life, I see spiritual growth, I see wisdom, I see humility, I see strength, and I see patience. And Father God, I can see You readjusting my life and getting me ready for this next glorious, most bountiful, and beautiful season of my life. I have undergone many changes lately, but I thank You for each and every one of them. I see You’re refining me Lord through the changes and I thank You Lord God, I thank You Holy Spirit, I thank You Lord Jesus. I see you editing my life Dear Lord God and taking out what shouldn’t be there and putting in what should. Lord, I thank You for all of the changes and I appreciate and accept them just as they come, in this divine season. I embrace this season of my life. And I can feel that You are up to something Lord, and I trust You completely in this and every season of my life. Have Your will and way in my life Dear Lord God. And use this season to bring me to the place that You want me to be and to change me into who You want me to be and all that You want me to be.
In Jesus name I pray,
Amen
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