When it comes to places to live, Kansas is not very glamorous. Nobody has ever said, “Wow, I bet it’s beautiful there,” or “I’ve always wanted to live there,” when they find out where my home is.
I get it. I’ve been around the country, and Kansas is a bit boring compared with the rest of the states. One thing I do love about living here, though, is the fact that we have four distinct seasons.
Some years, winter ends earlier than others. And it’s possible—probable, even—that we’ll have spring-like weather in January and that summery temperatures will extend well into the fall. Typically, though, the seasons run like clockwork around here—one right after another after another.
But have you ever noticed that the seasons of life don’t necessarily work like this? As I think about my own life, in particular, the familiar passage from Ecclesiastes 3 often comes to mind.
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
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.
These 14 “time-for” couplets in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 represent various seasons we may go through in our lives. Until recently, though, I had always looked at them as separate from each other. I don’t think I ever articulated it, even mentally, but somehow, I had the idea that we experience these “times” one at a time.
I see now, though, that nothing could be further from the truth. Looking at this list while considering events from the past year of my life highlights this point rather emphatically, I think.
For example, both of my parents died in the first half of 2019. Losing them has resulted in many tears, but also much laughter as we fondly remember times spent with them over the years.
It also has required my family to go through all their belongings and decide what to keep and what to throw away, a process that continues even now as I sort what remains of my dad’s vast collection of paperwork.
On a less emotional but more physically taxing note, Randy dug the root ball of a huge old lilac bush out of the ground last summer and we replaced it with a row of junipers. Then in November, we embarked on a home renovation project that included jack hammering a large section of tile flooring and redoing all the surfaces in our kitchen.
Finally, this phase of our teenage daughters’ lives seems to be one when they need a lot of hugs from their dad and not nearly much embracing from their mom. And as our senior looks ahead to her rescheduled graduation ceremony and college in the fall, she’s doing a lot of verbal processing, while her parents are doing a lot of listening.
Do you see them there, the references to tearing down and building, planting and uprooting, weeping and laughing, and so forth?
Perhaps my recollections prompted you to scan your own life for similar correlations to Ecclesiastes 3. I suspect you have at least a few, maybe even more than me.
And we haven’t even touched on events further out from our homes—examples of war and peace, love and hate, or speaking out and being silent that we hear about on the news and see in our communities every day.
The thing is, this is life—especially for those of us who are part of the Sandwich Generation. Seasons do come and go, for sure. “This too shall pass” can be a helpful bit of encouragement.
But when we are experiencing several exhausting or overwhelming seasons at once, it’s easy to feel torn, scattered and all over the place emotionally. And that doesn’t even factor in the tension we may feel spiritually—to somehow discover what God might be trying to teach us or figure out what we are supposed to take away from the situation so we can grow and move on.
Although this kind of introspection can be useful, it also puts a lot of pressure on us, particularly if we start thinking that we are solely responsible for everything that happens to us.
We still have to push through hard things, of course. We have to persevere in finding solutions for our problems. But we also have to rely on God’s mercy. To trust that He knows what is going on and why. To accept the fact that things may not turn out the way we want or hope or believe is right.
When we’re in the middle of multiple seasons at once, it’s easy to be whipped about like a fall leaf in a Kansas wind—skittering all over the map and never settling any one place for more than a millisecond.
I’m not saying we should to try to “be in the moment” 24 hours a day, as if that were even possible. But I also don’t think we should put all our eggs in the basket of “when this is all over.”
Hard seasons don’t automatically eliminate all the good in our lives, after all. There are still reasons to be joyful, gifts to be thankful for, people to love with all our hearts, minds and souls.
The writer of Ecclesiastes concludes his talk of seasons by telling us that God “has made everything beautiful in its time.” Even during the less-than-happy times, His blessings are abundant and all around us, if we just make an effort to look.
♥ Lois
As we push through hard things, we have to rely on God’s mercy. To trust that He knows what is going on and why. Click To Tweet There are still reasons to be joyful, gifts to be thankful for, people to love with all our hearts, minds and souls. Click To TweetP.S. I’m linking up this week with Purposeful Faith, #TellHisStory, InstaEncouragements, Recharge Wednesday, Let’s Have Coffee and Grace & Truth.
28 comments
I love how you took Ecclesiastes 3 to connect us to the seasons of our lives. It’s the perfect scripture to teach us about the both/and we face in life. In all of the good and bad, God is there and His blessings are abundant.
Amen, Mary! Both/and … it’s a hard concept to wrap my head around sometimes, but it’s definitely how real life works. Hugs, friend!
Lois, this is a beautiful and encouraging post. I love having four seasons too 🙂 During these last few months, I have been reminding my family that we need to find joy right here in these moments we are living. We need to laugh and find the gifts we have been given in each day. Thank you for this reflection and encouraging me to keep on looking for His abundant blessings and beauty.
Joanne, I love what you have been reminding your family about finding joy in the moment and looking for the gifts in each day. Honestly, I think it’s the only way to survive and even thrive during these uncertain times. Hugs, friend!
I love that there are 4 season in Kansas- that is something I’m going to miss as we move south! I don’t think I’d ever thought much about the overlapping of the seasons- but that is life isn’t it? Especially adulthood, when your “stage” or “pace” is less defined by a school system and milestones set at common times in life, and as your networks grow and overlap too. Holding on to the wisdom here. Everything beautiful in its time! We can rely on Him. Thanks, Lois!
Bethany, it might be that I just never noticed it, but I’d say that this overlapping of seasons has gotten a lot more intense for me in the last couple of years. I’m not sure it is like that for every middle-aged adult … it probably has a lot to do with family situations, health and other circumstances. For sure it’s yet another case where God knows what we need and always provides just enough strength and wisdom for the next day, the next month, the next season. 🙂 What are the seasons like in Charlotte? I just looked it up on a map … I’ve never been there and had no idea it was such a large city!
I am always glad and blessed when I find my way over here!
I’m glad you stopped by, Susan! 🙂
‘when we are experiencing several exhausting or overwhelming seasons at once, it’s easy to feel torn, scattered and all over the place emotionally.’
Um …yes!
It’s been that kind of year.
Loved this post, friend!
I wonder, Linda … when we look back at this year, what will we think? Will we be able to see what it prepared us for, or will we just be grateful that we survived it? Perhaps some of both, I’m guessing. Hugs, friend.
Lois, such great and fresh insight. I love the way you unpacked Ecclesiates 3. I was just telling someone the other day, while I love so many things about summer, especially the extended daylight hours, I like living in a place we expereince all four seasons. I, too, used to think these “times” in this passage where stand-alone seasons of our life. But so true in how they overlap. I should have been able to see that in my own life especially the last six months. Thank you for this wisdom.
I know what you mean, Karen. Once I started making a list from my own life, I was really surprised to see how many of the seasons in Ecclesiastes 3 were represented at the same time. Thanks for your kind words!
We had the song that uses Ecclesiastes 3 sung at our wedding. I have always loved that passage. I can relate to having several overlapping seasons in my life. Right now, I am a grandmother but I am still a mother to my sons and I still want to have fun with my husband. In my faith life, I have gone through several changes in thought and I can see now how they overlapped at certain areas of my life. Beautiful post, as always!
Thanks, Laurie! I’ve always loved Ecclesiastes 3 too, and I love that you had that song sung at your wedding. What an appropriate picture for what married life is like, especially the older you grow together.
I have, far too often, been guilty of waiting/wishing for “this season to be over” as if they were all independent of one another. But, you are right, they overlap and interweave…and all work together to create this life I lead. I’m trying to appreciate that more.
The seasons “all work together to create this life I lead.” That’s so true, Jennifer. Take out any part, and something would be missing, I think. On God’s calendar, each season somehow prepares us for the next, or one further down the road. That’s a truth I try to remember when I’m stuck in one of those “wish this was over” seasons. Hugs, friend.
Lois, this is beautiful. Life overlaps in so many season. I can so relate to the opposites. Wanting to cry and laugh at the same event. Tearing down and building up right next to each other. A time to love and hate all in the same day. This has expanded my thoughts.
I hear you, Theresa. I’ve experienced a whole host of these opposites over the last couple of years … it sounds like you have too? I wish we could look forward to an age when life doesn’t work like this, but I don’t think there is one, at least not from here on out!
OH! I know just what you are saying here! And I remember when my first grandchild was born thinking, “I’m still a mother! How can I be a grandmother, too??”
God has a way of sorting things out for us, but I still maintain that it takes time and mental energy to adjust to all the whirling life that goes on around us when seasons “overlap.” Great word picture.
Time and mental energy are definitely required, Michele. And just when it seems like one exhausting season winding down, we inevitably find ourselves in a few more. But you’re right … “God has a way of sorting things out for us.” And isn’t it a comfort to remember He is the One who numbers our days and orders our seasons?
Lois, as always, this is such a beautiful post. I, too, find myself living in many seasons right now. And the only way to get through is to make sure I’m spending time with Jesus daily, anchoring myself in Him so I have Someone to hold onto when the autumn and winter winds blow and shade when the summer sun beats down on my spirit. Loved your words here, friend.
Oh Jeanne … daily time with Jesus is a necessity for me too. Especially now as I’m trying to be more intentional about not worrying about the future. I often find myself praying scripture in the middle of the night, and it never fails to calm my spirit. Thank you for your kind words and thoughtful perspective, my friend.
I so appreciate what you’ve shared, here. While overlapping seasons are common to all of us, it’s not often written about. You’ve encouraged me, and I’m grateful. I’ve been thinking for the past few days about these words from Ecclesiastes. I come back to them regularly in life, not because of any one big event but because of the cyclical nature of the small ones.
It’s good to hear from you, Natalie … I’m glad you found encouragement here. I actually wrote this post BEFORE the Covid quarantines started, back when we had no idea what the coming months would hold and how many more “seasons” would be added to our existing load. Whether it’s a big event or a series of small repeating ones, it’s comforting to remember that God makes everything beautiful in it’s time, isn’t it?
This too shall pass is always great encouragement. Thanks for the reminder. Many blessings to you!
You’re welcome, Boma! Good to hear from you this week. 🙂
Lois,
I have had periods of my life where many of the seasons from Ecclesiastes overlapped and life did feel totally overwhelming. I’ve also had to learn that joy and pain can coexist…it’s not always an either/or. I’m getting better at ditching the self-sufficiency and running straight into the arms of the Father when life (especially now) gets to be a little too much for me. Great reflective post.
Blessings,
Bev xx
Bev, the last few years have taught me that same lesson about joy and pain coexisting. It can be exhausting, which I suppose is why it is so important to remember where our strength comes from and do exactly as you say–“ditch the self-sufficiency and run straight into the arms of the Father.” Hugs, friend.