Today's Reading - Ecclesiastes 3 & 4

My Times Are In His Hands

Times and seasons have been foreordained by God. He knows the very number of hairs on our heads and the Lord our God has scheduled each day of our lives. By his providence God governs the world, and has determined particular things and operations to particular times.

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.

Just as our planet goes through the seasons of the year, we all go through “seasons” of life. We tend to embrace those seasons of life when there is growth, healing, building up, laughter, dancing, love, and peace. It is during these times that our appreciation for life deepens and our love for God grows. So often, we wish every season could be like these. By human nature, we just want to “let the good times roll.”

However, just like our planet goes through bitterly cold winters and scorching summers, we also go thorough seasons of life where times are hard – times of death, loss, tearing down, crying, grief, tears, silence, hate, and war. Nobody looks forward to, nor enjoys, these seasons. We pray fervently for these seasons to come to an end. We often get weary of how long the winter lasts before the warmth of spring comes forth.

But, we must recognize that God has ordained the hard times just as He has the good times of life.  Our loving Heavenly Father has pre-foreordained these seasons for each one of us. Just as we embrace the good times, we must learn to embrace the hard times as well, knowing they come from the hand of God. As the Psalmist said, “My times are in Your hands” (Psalm 31:15).  Use these times to remember God’s blessings and to deepen your dependence upon Him. It is during these times that our flesh is burnt away and our spiritual maturity deepens.

Don't despair during the hard times - eventually (in God's perfect timing) the winter will thaw.