Devotionals for the Heart: Seasons

Seasons of Life

A devotional by Ginger Solomon

“To every thing there is a season,

A time for every purpose under heaven;

A time to be born,

And a time to die;

A time to plant,

And a time to pluck what 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;

A time to embrace,

And a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to gain,

And a time to lose;

A time to keep,

And a time to throw away,

A time to tear, 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 (NKJV)

If I might be so bold, I might add, “A time for the sun to rise; And a time for it to set.”

As I write this, I am sitting in the corner of a cruise ship, watching the sunrise. This is something I like to do. It’s quiet, except for the workers preparing breakfast. I can get a fair amount of writing done, and then be free to spend the rest of the day enjoying my vacation with my family.

But that’s not really the point of this devotional.

Today’s society thinks they can say and do anything they want at any time, and that it doesn’t matter. But it does. We all know it. There are right and decent ways to go about making your voice heard. And it doesn’t matter if you believe in God or not; the truth is the truth.

What needs to be learned now is how to keep our mouths shut. As I mentioned in my last devotion, my son recently married a wonderful woman of God who happens to be black. And even in today’s “politically correct” society, people have said derogatory things to them. Where is the “tolerance” in this situation?

It’s my opinion that those who scream the loudest for tolerance, equal rights, and free speech refuse to allow it if it is contrary to what they believe.

I’m all for tolerance. Not everyone believes the way I do. I’m not going to condemn you if you don’t have several children or any for that matter. I’m not going to say you have to homeschool your kids if you choose to have them. I’m not even going to look down on you if you choose a lifestyle outside of my religious beliefs.

Let’s be honest, not everyone is equipped to deal with kids. I know a few people who really shouldn’t have any. I’m sure you know a few too. Nor is everyone called to homeschool (and I personally believe it must be a calling, because without God’s grace my kids would be dead). And while I would love for everyone to follow God and know His love, we all know that’s not going to happen. I can’t force someone else to believe. The old idiom, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink,” comes to mind.

What does all of this have to do with the rising and setting of the sun? Probably not much other than realizing there is a time and place to say your piece/peace, and sometimes, we (yes, I’m including myself here) need to keep our mouths shut. Shouting your beliefs won’t make people believe like you do. In truth, it makes them less likely to hear you.

Just as the sun rises every day (whether we see it or not), so truth remains truth even it’s hidden behind all the lies and shouting of the enemy. And the truth is, God wins in the end. '

The only question that remains (at least from our side) is, "How many of us will choose the winning side?"

~*~
Author Bio:

Ginger Solomon is a Christian, a wife, a mother to seven, and a writer—in that order (mostly). 

She writes or reads inspirational romance of any genre, and if she’s busy homeschooling, doing laundry, or fixing dinner, books are on her mind.

She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), president of her local writing group, and blogs regularly for InspyRomance.com and at gingersolomon.com.