Today’s first reading is from Ecclesiastes 3:1-11. “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every thing under the heavens.” If you’re a baby boomer like me, you can’t read that Scripture without hearing “Turn, Turn, Turn” by the Byrds in your head. Not a bad ear worm to have! As a courtesy, here’s a link…click here to listen and check out the song on YouTube. In the Gospel from Luke 9, we see Luke’s version of Peter’s great confession of faith.
God has a plan. We all know that, right? But sometimes we may question God’s timing. Why did He have to take my child at such a young age? Why did I lose my job? Why (fill in the blank)? At the time things are happening, we often can’t see the bigger picture. Hopefully, though, in retrospect, we can look back and get a glimpse of what God had in mind.
I think this is what the writer of Ecclesiastes had in mind. There is a season for everything in life, including the “bad stuff.” And that is the wisdom of God. If we were happy and well fed all the time, we would start to take the blessings for granted. We would no longer appreciate them. But when God sends those tough seasons of drought and storms, we come to a greater appreciation of those blessed times. I’ve found that those (the hard times) are actually the times of greatest growth. Know this: when we’re in a season of winter, we can rest assured that spring is right around the corner.
Father, we thank you for sending us different seasons in our lives. May we embrace each of them, and recognize that they come in your perfect time. Amen.
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