Seasons by Yvonne M. Morgan
Fall is just around the corner, but you would not know that where I live. Our temperatures still hover around 100 degrees. However, by the end of the month, the temperatures should begin to cool, and it will feel like autumn. The heat does not stop the signs of fall from appearing as pumpkin spice products and all things Halloween fill the aisles. Often, the commercial world signals the changing of the season for us. Even so, I look forward to each new season for what they bring to the world around me. “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV) Seasons of Life It is not just the calendar that displays the seasons. In the biblical book of Ecclesiastes, we find the author pointing to all the seasons of life that affect our daily lives. Those verses found in Ecclesiastes 3:2-8 (NIV) are below. “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.” 26 | M AG A Z I N E N A M E PAGE 3 26
Each of the above seasons offers us a positive experience contrasted with a difficult time. We see that life will have many ups and downs through these seasons found in the author’s words. Life constantly evolves and changes, and it can leave us wondering where God is in the midst of the chaos. But, as we move through these good and bad times, we are assured that God is right beside us every step of the way. Coping With the Change of Seasons Reading the Bible can help us weather the changing seasons of life. God’s word gives us the hope to carry on, no matter what happens around us. So let’s look at some ways to help us with our struggles. God remains in control. So, no matter what the news is telling you, God is in control, and He wins in the end. Here are some verses to help us remember. • Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV) - “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” • Psalm 73:26 (NIV) - “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” • John 14:27 (NIV) - “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” • Psalm 125:2 (NIV) - “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people both now and forevermore.”
