Ecclesiastes 3 v 1
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens”
At the moment it seems like many thanks are on hold. I often find myself having conversations with people over the phone or video discussing how plans made are put on hold. Common phrases include:
‘Waiting until the season passes’
‘When this madness ends’
‘When we’re able to do so’
When we think about it, it’s incredible how all the non-negotiables have become negotiable. The essentials have become non-essential. The stuff we couldn’t live without, we’re living without.
I’m finding that God is so often reminding me that He doesn’t depend on us. He isn’t asking us to do things, He isn’t relying on us doing church activities, outreach events, groups, meetings, whatever it may be – He is simply asking us to trust in Him. Forgive us for the times when we’ve made church a burden: more meetings, more new initiatives, things to turn up for, things to do. Jesus’ yoke is easy and His burden is light, and it’s Him who we follow.
But instead of putting things off, I believe we have a story to tell of what God is doing IN this season. Life is not on hold; last time I checked, I was still breathing and very much alive. Instead of the narrative of life being on hold, I think God is calling us to find Him in the season. There is a time for everything, which means even though this virus has occurred, God can, will, and is using this season… we just need to look.
I loved seeing the ‘great things’ God is doing in our lives as we shared these at the start of our service the other week. God is working in this season, in our lives and the lives of those around us.
Of course, some thing are on hold; some friends of ours postponed their April wedding to later in the year; parties have been postponed, family gatherings are waiting for a time to meet. But God is still at work in this season.
We mustn’t get caught up in the narrative of life being on hold; living for the not-yet and missing the now. We mustn’t simply survive the season with a to-do list we’re waiting to tick off as soon as lockdown is lifted. Life won’t be the same; we won’t be doing church the same as we did a few months ago; family gatherings will a have to look different. But there is a season for everything, and this season is undoubtedly different to what we had all expected, it’s incredibly difficult for all of us, but can we really trust that the Lord is with us in this season.
This may be a season for taking life more slowly. It may be a season for realising what is really important in life.
It’s a season for praying and reading Scripture.
It’s a season for appreciating how much we mean to one another as church and families.
It’s a season for seeing God at work, without us making the pressure of thinking we have to be doing things.
There is a time for everything. The season for being together again will come, but for now, look for God in the season, and let’s begin to tell the story of God at work IN the season, not waiting for it to pass.
What great things are you seeing God doing in your life right now?