YVALIKS

One of my favourite biblical passage is found in Ecclesiastes 3. It is titled: ‘There is a time for everything’. In it the author states that there are cycles in life and seasons for everything. For example, there is a time to laugh and there is a time to cry; there is a time to plant and a time to harvest; a time to be quiet and a time to speak; and so on. It ends with a verse stating that “God has made everything beautiful for its own time”.

Life is a  journey.

It fluctuates with different seasons. We will come across them the same way as we come across the  weather divisions in a year: Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring. There are times when it is cold and dry , and times where its sunny and fruitful. Each season comes with different conditions and they follow one another regularly. The question is: how do we approach them? How do we deal with the ever changing nature of our journey?

Seasons change

Let’s be honest: there are seasons that are more enjoyable than others, and we will rather prefer for them to last longer . We want to stay in those seasons. We are happy there; especially when things goes well. We always look forward to them. They are our Spring, Summer and Autumn. Then, there is the Winter. Very few people really enjoy Winter. Most elements of nature themselves are inactive or just die during Winter. For us it can symbolise cold, uncomfortable and painful times. Things may actually die such as the end of relationship or the loss of a job. We are maybe grieving or experiencing some type of brokenness. We cannot stop the cyclical nature of seasons. The good seasons will be there at some point, but then the colder seasons will follow soon. Whereas the year has already established the four season’s length (three to four months), our lives are different. There are no set timing for our seasons. Some Winter can be very long, and some Summer can be quite short.

Your attitude matter

Since we cannot stop seasons’ changes, we have the choice to resist it or to embrace it. If I am honest, I tend to do both. Usually when change occur in my life, I tend to resist it at first. I do not even have the desire to start adjusting to the situations. I even look back and say thing like: ‘things should have stayed the same’ or ‘I miss what was’. There is usually denial and anger. But I eventually adapt. The reality is I am suffering more by resisting the change than accepting it. My attitude affect the way I deal with the season. I have to understand that there is a reason for the season. Will I not be better off living in it with a positive attitude, doing my best? Instead of wondering why I am in the season, maybe I should ask what am I suppose to learn here?

This season is leading you to the next one

It can sometimes happen that season are time of transitions where we are being prepare for the next. It is an intermission into the next act. For example, we go to study courses in University to acquire knowledge for a particular job. The University years are sharping our knowledge and skills for the time when we will finally step into our desired profession. So each season has its purpose. Even in nature, the Winter is a preparation for the Spring. Some annual plants require the Winter cold temperatures to complete their life cycle. They call this vernalisation.

The benefits in each season varie, but they are there. Even the bleakest of times can have their fill of joy, moments of peace and bring you different perspectives. Each season has its beauty on a certain level, and each season is necessary. Nothing is really wasted, it all matters. Some seasons of your life did shaped you into who you are. Some are shaping you now into who you need to become. We cannot predict how long each can take, but we can allow ourselves to adjust in each of them. It is not always easy, but nothing in life is.

Summer can be full of excitement.

Autumn can helps us rest.

Winter can make us sick.

Spring can revive us.

The warmer months tend to be better, but the cold ones are important too.

You plant seeds in one and harvest in the other.

You will be filled to be emptied again.

But no matter how long Winter can take, Spring will eventually come.

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