Seasons...

You know the verses in Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8...there is a time for everything.  When I read God's Word I see that He promises that there is a season for all things under heaven.  Most of the time this passage of Scripture is used at funerals to give comfort.  I've been reading this passage a lot lately and I believe the Lord has allowed me to see something different...at least different for me.

I'm in a season of change right now.  I can sense it every element of my being.  The Lord is pointing out somethings in my life that need to be dealt with and other areas that need to be complete released.

Check this out...

Ecclesiastes 3:2 "a time to plant and to uproot what is planted"
                    3:3 "a time to tear down and a time to build up"
                    3:4 "a time to mourn and a time to dance"
                    3:5 "a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones"
                    3:6 "a time to keep and a time to throw away"
                    3:7 "a time to tear apart and a time to sew together"
                    3:8 "a time for war and time for peace"

With every action there is a reaction.  God always has a positive to go with the negative.  He promises to give something in return.  Jesus spoke of the same in Matthew 18:18  "Truly  I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."

The way I see it...it's a little give and take.  The way to live is in a state of giving up whatever God calls us to give so that our arms are open to receive.  But I also think Ecclesiastes is telling me that if I stay in one place, I could miss the blessings that come from a new place.

Hear me out on this...if I am constantly trying to nurturer what I have planted I could miss out on the blessings of tearing it out and seeing what comes from it.  If I am not submissive to what the Lord wants to tear down in my life, I could miss out on what He wants to build up. Staying in a constant state of "woe is me" and mourning for what I had, didn't have, wish I had then I will miss out on a great dance with my Heavenly Father.  Nothing good comes from clinging to that which God is saying to release.

The teacher in me looked a little closer.  All of the things that God says that there is "a time for" are all actions.  They are verbs...Tear. Build. Plant. Keep. Gather. Sew.  None of these things will be accomplished sitting still.  It requires movement...intentional movement.  Sitting still and waiting for something to happen will not work.

Some might ask why God would go to all this trouble.  Why would the same God of the Universe take the time to make sure that the necessary seasons come and go in my life?  Because Romans 8:28 says so..."and we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."  There must be a season for all things for it is from these seasons that we become all that God has purposed for us to be.  The time needed for uprooting will bring in a season of new growth.  The time spent tearing down, trowing away and tearing apart will bring a season of renewal and being rebuilt in HIS image.

Nothing about that is a bad thing.  So...I'm going enjoy this time and move.