“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.” (Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8)
This well-known and beloved scripture is regularly cited not only at church, but memorials, graduations, weddings, athletic events and even business conferences. But it is more than just a mere statement of fact that sounds good in certain situations. It is a declaration of the changing nature of our existence but also an explanation to the questions we as humans have pondered for thousands of years.
According to Ecclesiastes, there is a time and or a season for everything. And though this may be a new year, for many of us the time that we are currently in is a very tough season of dealing with old adversaries such as aches and pains, distress, affliction, temptation, irritation, apprehension and even grief. But what has always been very interesting is that no matter what time it is, when there are so many other things that may be going right in our lives, just a few things going wrong can relentlessly divert and occupy our attention, putting our focus more on our circumstances rather than our successes. And that’s because the very nature of our carnal condition is hard-wired to automatically react to all the physical and emotional stimulus that accompanies our life here on earth, whether pleasant or unpleasant.
Therefore, we must remember and continue to remind each other that though we may be puzzled at our present pain, we have the answer to any and all threats to our tranquility. Now I’m not talking about some type of conscience-soothing resolution, or an educated philosophical transfusion or even some so-called enlightened social revolution, but I speak of a God-ordained, Holy Ghost-inspired solution that is designed to defeat all of the issues that plague us. And that solution is Jesus Christ the Righteous.
In Jesus we find empowerment to face our challenges head-on with confidence. Our Savior assures us that though, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4: 8-9)
Now how do we as physical humans achieve this level of spiritual capability over our temporal circumstances? That's easy. We are able to do it because it’s not us, it’s Him. The battle is not ours, it’s the Lord’s. 2 Corinthians 4: 7 says, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” We are strong only in the Lord and in the power of His might because He truly is the wind in our sails, the source of our strength and the force that empowers our fight of faith.
So if you feel discouraged, frustrated, isolated, worried, broken or in need ……. pray. But not only pray, open up your Bible and read God’s Word. See what it says about how you are feeling and what you are going through. Be encouraged by scripture which tells us things like, “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.” (Psalm 34: 17-19)
We thank God that He is able to shield us and heal us from all discomfort that lands on our doorstep. But sometimes the condition we find ourselves in is not quickly or completely removed. Now that doesn’t mean that we are being ignored or God doesn’t care. It just means that we have to trust that the Lord will help us, strengthen us and provide us a means of preservation, even if we don’t understand how He’s doing it. Take heed to the wise words of King Solomon who tells us to, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3: 5-6)
So prepare yourselves for the times when we will have to ride out the rain until the rain stops. Just ask Noah or Jesus’ disciples about this. They would tell you that though the Lord may allow your ship to go through a storm, there is no need to worry because He will unfailingly keep the boat afloat even in the midst of the storm. As He told His disciples just before He calmed the wind and the waves in the ship they were sailing on the Sea of Galilee, “Let us pass over unto the other side.” (Mark 4: 35) He told them this because He was trying to get them somewhere and no storm was going to stop it. But it would test, and even eventually embolden their faith.
Well, He’s doing the same thing with us. He’s trying to take us somewhere. Not just to test our faith, but to increase our faith if we will let Him. And you can trust that He will do it because He loves us, is always faithful to His Word and sincerely wants us to be with Him. This is why Jude 1: 24 encourages us to render praise “…unto Him that is able to keep you from falling…” He doesn’t want you to fall down and be stopped by any trial or tribulation that comes your way. He wants you to move forward, keeping in mind the heavenly place He has prepared for you despite the obstacles in your path. He wants you to be His precious and purified gift to Himself as He looks to “present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.” (Jude 1: 24)
We are more than just His people, we are His bride. And He has given Himself for us “That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5: 26-27) So when you’re walking through the valley of the shadow of death, lift your head, raise your hands and give Him the fruit of your lips. Let loose with a glorious outpouring of worship and praise because He is with you, the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, leading you to green pastures and still waters.
Accept the fact that our loving God in His infinite wisdom has a plan for our good and knows why we must sometimes endure a season of hardship. As the Apostle Paul wrote to the young Pastor Timothy in Ephesus, “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” (2Timothy 2: 3) This endurance is necessary because, again, the Lord may not always immediately eradicate the source of our irritation. Referring back to Ecclesiastes, there is a purpose contained in every season we encounter. And it is in those seasons that God will mature our spirit, increase our faith, solidify our resolve, elevate our gratefulness and inspire our service.
Nonetheless, tribulation sometimes leads our mortality to still ask, “Why must we go through these seasons of difficulty and uncertainty? Well, as previously stated, there is a reason for this and the reason is you. Again, He’s trying to get you somewhere and He’s trying to help you get there. But He doesn’t want you to travel or arrive at your ultimate destination in any old wretched condition, but as a meticulously prepared, spiritual battle-experienced holy warrior that completely relies on God to empower you to fight on to the end. Consider Brother Paul when speaking of understanding and accepting his own self-described “thorn in the flesh” when he said, “And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2 Corinthians 12: 9-10)
To illustrate this point, I quote an event that occurred in the Garden of Gethsemane just prior to Jesus’ arrest, trial, conviction and execution for crimes we committed, not Him. Scripture records it this way, “And He was withdrawn from them (His disciples) about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him.” (Luke 22: 41-43)
Notice if you will that though Jesus was being tormented with His own humanity, something wonderful happened when He declared that the purpose and plan of God was more important than relief from His own pain. That the will of the Father took precedence over the distraction of His personal distress. And we see the glory of God on display as His help was there to immediately assist in the time of need.
Now of course the condition of His situation did not change one bit, but when He rose from that prayer, He rose with power. He confidently walked over and issued words of wisdom to His dozing disciples, “And when He rose up from prayer, and was come to His disciples, He found them sleeping for sorrow, And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.” (Luke 22: 45-46)
That was just awesome, but that wasn’t all. He also rose from that prayer with power to boldly face the catastrophe of His coming crucifixion, being given the strength to complete the mission His Father gave Him though the severity of the storm that raged all around Him was about to get worse. But Jesus fought the good fight, He finished the course and He kept the faith. And if we do the same then, “…there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4: 8)
Of course the first order of business is that God would be glorified, praise His holy name, but secondly His divine love for us is the motivation for Him sending Jesus to bear the sins of our existence. This ultimate act of grace, the sacrifice of His beloved Son, opened the door and tore down the wall of separation between us and our Creator. But it is our faith in Him that gives us access to the saving grace that is laid out before us all which unites us in an incredible and indescribable spiritual relationship with the Eternal God, our Father which sits on His throne in heaven with Jesus on His right hand making intercession for us all.
Ephesians 2: 8 tells us, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” Because of our lack of faith we can actually leave that gift unopened and never realize or benefit from the inheritance of eternal life that it holds. But that gift comes with a promise of preservation if we believe and employ the strength for endurance He has given us to hold on to the end. We are “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1: 5) Therefore, we may “…greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations…” (1 Peter 1: 6) And great is our rejoicing, even in the midst of those trials, because of what is being accomplished by those fiery trials. We are building up our most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost so that our faith won’t fail us when it counts the most. “…the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:” (1 Peter 1: 7-8) And that same built up, purified, solidified and glorified faith will result in us “Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1: 9)
So don’t worry about what you don’t have. Be thankful for what you do have. As Matthew 6 says, “Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (Matthew 6: 27-34)
Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14: 27) “Let not” means “do not allow.” We are able to “not allow” things because we have been given the power to do so. If you go back to the first part of this scripture you’ll see that it says you have been given peace which is able to overcome any obstacle, no matter how hurtful, how stressful, how agitating or how repulsive. And not some fake, worldly or imitation peace, but Jesus says, “My peace.” Or in other words, the divine peace of our Creator in Christ Jesus, the Prince of Peace. It's a holy and consecrated peace that the world can’t receive or even comprehend, but the Children of God are able to actually experience fully. We may not be able to explain it, but we can certainly feel it, glory to God!
Isaiah 41: 10 says, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.” It is the presence of Almighty God in our lives that gives us everything we need. “For in Him we live, and move, and have our being…” (Acts 17: 28) He is the source of our very existence. He rains down goodness and holds back destruction. He is our Rock and our Redeemer. So let us be strong and of a good courage. Let us not be afraid or dismayed because the Lord God Almighty is with us wherever we go.
Let us make the effort not to be anxious about anything; “but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4: 6-7) The enemy is desperately trying to distract you from your divine destiny. Satan knows that our future hinges on us staying obedient and faithful to our Heavenly Father no matter how that devil tries to discourage or deceive us.
On our way from glory to glory there will be times and seasons when we are subjected to the enemy’s assaults. What we want is for God’s reaction to how we handle Satan’s provocations to be this: “Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” (Matthew 25: 23)
So be encouraged and give the Lord thanks in every thing because God is the Ruler, Creator and Commander of all things. And He will be with you, even unto the end of the world.
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