Seasons and Life

Seasons of the year begin and they end.  You may enjoy one season more than other seasons because you like certain kinds of activities.  Your deepest desire is for your favorite season to stay around a little longer.  However, as much as you hope or wish for a longer season it will regularly merge into the next season.  The writer of Scripture indicates that there are seasons (or times) for various activities.  There is a season for plowing; a season for planting, a season for harvesting; there is a rainy season, a dry season, and a season for enjoying fruit.

Just as there are seasons in our world, there are seasons in our lives.  Some seasons are filled with joy, some with expectation and some contain times of difficulty and discouragement.  It is unrealistic for a person who is a Christian to think that things will always be happy and joyful.  Any one season will change and activities or things that take place in that season will change irrespective of whether someone has put their trust in Christ or not.  Amid the changing seasons, whether in our world or in our lives, one thing does not change.  God says, “For I am the Lord, I change not” (Malachi 3:6).  Scripture says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).  So, just as the seasons of our earth change and the seasons of  our lives change we can count on the fact that God does not change.  If you want confidence and assurance amid all the changes of life, put your trust in God.  He will not fail you.

Absolutely Clear

When I am away from my home or my work computer and something impresses me that I want to remember I quickly make a hand-written note to myself.  I keep the note in my pocket until I can get to my computer and then enter the note and other thoughts.  However, the notes I write to myself sometimes look like a scribbled mess and I can’t read the words that I hurriedly wrote, much less remember the thoughts behind them.

I am so glad that when God wrote to us He did so by making His words very clear and specific.  He never scribbles, but always speaks to the point and allows His intentions to be abundantly clear so we know exactly what He says.  In fact, God’s word is so clear that no one needs to have a higher education degree in order to understand.   The Psalmist said, “Break open your words, let the light shine out, let ordinary people see the meaning” (Psalm 119:130 MSG).  In addition it says, “The revelation of GOD is whole and pulls our lives together.  The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road” (Psalm 19:7 MSG).

Do you want to have understandable and specific direction for your life that is always clear and to the point?  Open a Bible, check the table of contents, and go to the New Testament Gospel of Mark.  Read only a few verses, a paragraph or a chapter at a time.  As you read, ask God to make His words clear so you can understand what He wants you to know and do.  His words are abundantly clear. 

When Things Don't Work Out

Many hours, much energy, and lots of anticipation have gone into some of my recent plans.  The hours, energy and anticipation in putting together plans for a “big event” have been important.  Without plans there is no direction and it is easy to get off task.  However, what happens when plans don’t materialize and come to fruition, at least in the way that you thought they would?  One of several things could happen.  You could get mad.  You could get frustrated.  You could sulk and have a “why me” pity party.  You could give up and say, “Forget it.”  Or, you could look for the good that might come out of the changed circumstances.

The Bible tells us that we need to plan.  It says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18).  But when plans don’t materialize we may have received wrong advice (or no advice) or maybe God has something that He wants us to learn.  The writer of Proverbs tells us, “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21).   Those times when our plans fail we ought to examine why they failed and then eagerly, try to discipher what God is trying to teach us.