A Season of Life – by Paul Gilbertson

Ecclesiastes 3:1  “For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven:”

In my personal studies, I am in 1 Kings going through the story of Elijah, one of my favorites.  I like this story because it reminds me that we will have highs and lows even when we know God is right beside us.  The seasons in Elijah’s life are constantly changing just like ours.  Elijah goes from a high in seeing God’s great work in defeating the prophets of Baal, to a low after his human nature gets in the way after Jezebel threatens to take his life.  God comes alongside Elijah and comforts him at his weakest hour.

As we all can see and feel the seasons are changing.  Some of them are beautiful and some are not, depending on what you like and what you like to do.  When traveling around the country at different times of the year, I am always glad to come back home to whatever season it is and to be back home with my family.  Living somewhere where the seasons are the same would be unbearable for me.

As nature has its seasons so does our lives.  Some are very enjoyable and pleasant, and some are very hard and painful.  What we experience in nature is very much like what we experience in our own lives.  There are seasons for growth and for relaxation and there are seasons for renewal that we all have experienced.  Looking back on my own life I can see the different seasons I went through.  During seasons that were pleasant, I felt like I was on top of the world, and the hard ones seemed to never end.  During both seasons but especially the difficult ones, what kept me going was the knowledge of Jesus and his sacrifice for me.  I have had some pretty down times in my life only to have the comfort of Jesus there when I did not know if I could go on.

I can look back at the hard times and be assured that Jesus was at my side at all times otherwise I am not sure if I would have made it out.  I can also look back at the good seasons and I am blessed to know that I was walking with Jesus by my side then as well. To know that Jesus is alive within me is the greatest joy there is.  I am so blessed that each week Pastor Tony reminds me of the sacrifice that Jesus made for me, and I can count on that as joy knowing that someday I will be in a place that all the seasons are joyful.  Just as God stood beside Elijah in a time he needed Him the most, God is bedside us if we desire Him to be there.  He sends fellow brothers and sisters to be by our side.  May God bless you in whatever season you are in right now.

Blessings,
Paul