A Time for Everything

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. Ecclesiastes 3:1

How would you describe the year 2020? As I consider the things I wrote about, dreamt about, and made plans for in January, the beginning of the year feels like a million years ago. It is almost as if 2020 sucked us into a time warp and transported us to a place and time which feels foreign.

Think back to your New Years’ resolutions, your “word of the year,” the dreams you had at the start of a new year, a new decade. How have they played out?

In the first devotion for 2020, I wrote about how to make resolutions that last. So, even if the year 2020 has created a change in your plans, God has not changed His plans. Even when you failed to work out, God has worked out a way for you to pursue your goals. Even when you quit, stopped, or paused, God remained with you.

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. Proverbs 16:9

There is a time for everything. We will have seasons when our plans change and our journey takes on new directions. We will endure months when life feels uprooted, places in our lives where we have to tear up the old plans, when we have to refrain from hugging one another, and perhaps mourn a significant loss. However, God has a time for everything, a time to replant, a time to build something new, and a time for dancing.

He has time for everything.

Let’s look at Ecclesiastes 3 and remind ourselves God is in all of our time. God is the Almighty God in every season. God has time for everything.

A time to be born and a time to die.

God’s sovereignty over all creation covers past, present, and future. There is nothing outside of His control. We did not decide when we were to be born, and only God numbers the days of our lives.

A time to plant and a time to uproot.

God creates our lives to have a purpose. We will have days when we are digging deep and growing, and sometimes, God will uproot us and take us to a new field to grow, sow, and reap in.

A time to kill and a time to heal.

War is a scary and terrible thing. But there is a time for war. I am not sure how many battles they mention in the Bible (I tried to Google it, but results were varied), but the cause of war is always sin, and we live in a sinful world. In the Song of Moses, found in Deuteronomy 32:39, it says, “See now that I myself am he! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand.”

A time to tear down and a time to build.

I have a few things around the house I would like torn down, and many projects I would love to build. I have some strongholds in my life God is working to tear down, and I am confident He will build healthy boundaries to guard my heart in the healing.

A time to weep and a time to laugh.

 If you are anything like me, you can laugh and cry in the same day, even the same hour, maybe even the same minute! In Luke 6, God says, “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.” God is right there with us, in every tear we shed and each jolt of laughter we exude.

You’ve kept track of all my wandering and my weeping. You’ve stored my many tears in your bottle—not one will be lost. For they are all recorded in your book of remembrance.Psalm 56:8 (TPT)

A time to mourn and a time to dance.

In 2 Samuel, we see David do both. He first mourns the failed attempt to return the Ark to Jerusalem. Then he quickly transitions to joyful dancing before the Lord when the Ark arrives in its rightful place. We, too, will have things to grieve in this life, but God always has a restoration plan and is ready to watch you dance in the streets.

And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. 2 Samuel 6:14

A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them.

Have you ever watched the TV show Hoarders? There is a time to gather what we need, and a time to let go of what is not required. This can apply to not only our physical belongings but to our spiritual stuff too. Check out my devotion on Decluttering the Heart HERE.

A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing.

Are you a hugger? How are you doing during this time of social distancing? I pray God brings comfort to all the huggers out there. I believe the time for embracing will come again soon!

A time to search and a time to give up.

Sometimes I search for a reason, an explanation, or the cause of something deep in my life. Like, “Why didn’t I go to school to be a Psychologist?” Or, I search for an explanation for a prayer that feels unanswered. Perhaps you have had seasons where you have done some deep soul searching, too? But sometimes, God asks us to be content with where we are and the answers we don’t have. I am learning to recognize God’s voice in both of these seasons of life.

A time to keep and a time to throw away.

We talked about the show Hoarders earlier. But have you ever watched the Marie Kondo show, Tidying Up? We can act generously towards others when we let go of our surplus and share it. Whether a box of old clothes, a pocket full of change, or a simple meal.

A time to tear and a time to mend.

In the Bible, to tear one’s clothes would have shown utter displeasure with something. It was something you would do when your heart ached over a situation. Today we may see many things in our society, homes, and even our hearts that make us want to scream, pound our fists, or tear our clothes in passionate displeasure, brought on by a contrite spirit. What social injustice can you fight for today? Where can you mend a broken fence with an apology? What prayers will bring about reconciliation in your own heart with God?

A time to be silent and a time to speak.

The writer of Proverbs tells us, “The tongue has the power of life and death.” (Proverbs 18:21). How will you use your words today?

A time to love and a time to hate.

In Matthew 5:43-44, God shares with us that others will tell you to love your neighbor, but hate your enemy. But God says, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” So, what are we supposed to hate? We should always hate sin and evil.

He has made everything beautiful in its time.

We know God is eternal, having set into motion the beginning and end of time. We know everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added or taken from it. We can take comfort in these verses from Ecclesiastes by recognizing the sovereignty of our God and His timing. God is the Almighty, unchanging God of all time, and He has made time for everything under the sun.

I pray you have found wisdom and comfort in looking at these verses. No matter how 2020 turns out, remember:

“Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account.” Ecclesiastes 3:15.

Heavenly Father, we give to you what you already own, our time. We commit our hearts to you, our sovereign Lord and Savior. We choose to be content in whatever season we are in today, knowing you have established our steps according to your good purpose. In Jesus’ Name. Amen

Check out this song by Mandisa based upon the verses in Ecclesiastes 3.

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