To Everything, There Is a Season
Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. There is much we can learn from nature and one of the most pertinent is the seasons. Without fail, every year we experience the four seasons. It's safe to say that...
Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. There is much we can learn from nature and one of the most pertinent is the seasons. Without fail, every year we experience the four seasons. It's safe to say that there are pros and cons to each season and everyone has their favourite. Despite how we feel about them, they all have a purpose for their existence, much like the seasons of life.
The main purpose God created the different seasons and their corresponding weather is for agriculture and farming. Spring is the time to start planting the crops into the ground. At this point, the ground is recovering from the cold winter frost and so must be thawed out before planting can begin. Summer is the time to monitor all of the planted crops. Farmers have to perform weed control, pest management, and fertiliser application during this time. The Summer heat is at its peak so rain is critical for the crops not to be damaged.
Fall is the time for harvest when farmers get to see the reward of their labor throughout the year. This is one of the most difficult seasons because much hard work is required to dry, harvest, and store the crops. Finally, winter is a time of rest for the soil and for the farmers. The soil needs to have its nutrients replenished in time for the new crops to be planted. Unrested soil will be depleted of essential nutrients which will reduce the quality of the yield in the next harvest. It is also important for farmers to have this time of rest for reflection and planning for the next season. The equipment is fixed, inputs for the next planting season are purchased and a break from hard labor is acquired.
Unfortunately, most of Western society has moved away from agriculture as a means of making a living and we have become used to going to the shop and finding everything we need on a shelf. The seasons therefore lose their core value and purpose in our eyes and are reduced to how they convenience us. Rain is inconvenient to most. Summertime sunshine is dearly loved by many. Whilst enjoying the weather is a secondary purpose, it is not the main one. The Old Testament is full of accounts whereby a severe drought caused famine in the land. The seasons are integral to our lives on Earth, as are the seasons of life in general.
I believe the movement away from agriculture and farming in the West has deeply impacted our understanding of the Bible. Much of the stories of the Old Testament and the parables of Jesus are based on principles of agriculture because that was just the way everyone was living at the time. I believe it was intentional to take away these important skills for survival like planting and growing our own food. Not only has it made us dependent on the system for survival, it has dulled our understanding of principles constantly communicated throughout the word of God. But I digress.
Ecclesiastes 3
Verse 1-8 "To everything 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, And a time to gather 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."
I was pondering on the different seasons of my life up until the present and I realised a stark pattern that applies to most people. When I was a child, I couldn't wait to grow up and be an adult because it meant more freedom and independence. Little did I know that while adult life does have more freedom, it demands a lot more responsibility than my little mind could understand. At that age, the peak of my responsibility was chores and education. I didn't have to pay bills and my mum would cook and take care of me. All that was on my mind was TV shows and having fun with friends; a freedom I didn't acknowledge. I became a young adult in university with my own money and time to manage. I loved that I was set free from the restrictions of childhood and I could do what I wanted. However, I soon realised that in order to thrive you can't just do what you want. You now have more responsibility to steward your finances and time well to obtain a balance of living, studying, and having a social life. You have to cook, clean, and be able to live amicably with others. It wasn't all that it was cracked up to be and I found myself wishing I wasn't in a rush to grow up and enjoyed the season of childhood more.
Even still, in university, I complained about going to lectures and studying was tedious. I couldn't wait to stop doing exams and coursework so I could finally start a career. I started working full-time as an adult and was also hit with the harsh reality. There is no summer holiday on this side of the pond. You don't have breaks between semesters with ample free time for leisure. You get given a fixed amount of holiday per contract and you have to strategically use them throughout the year. The free time you had before to socialise with friends is reduced significantly because you're all working full time with different schedules. You have to intentionally pencil in your friends in your calendar. At this point, I wished I appreciated university more and the freedoms I had at the time rather than longing to start a career.
Recently, I moved out on my own after living with family for some years after graduating. I longed for my independence and to have my own space because I felt that I had outgrown being under my mum's roof. When you get to that place, it's easier to get frustrated and annoyed with your family about the smallest of things. I have now moved out and live on my own and whilst I enjoy the space to breathe and run my place how I want it to, I am truly alone. If I don't get up and work, no one will pay my bills for me. If I don't maintain my place on a daily/weekly basis, it can easily become dirty and unkempt. If I don't cook, I don't eat. No more meals from mum or coming back home with your dishes done. No more footsteps of your family walking by and the option of just talking to your sibling in the kitchen.
It's more freedom, yes, but more responsibility and a huge difference from living with your family. I'm enjoying my independence, but it comes at a cost. And it doesn't stop there either. When I eventually get married, I'll gain some freedom but equally will gain new responsibilities as a wife. Following that, when I have children, I will gain the gift of life but equally will gain a whole lot more responsibilities as a mother. The list goes on.
I have noticed this pattern in myself and many people; the constant longing for the next season of life rather than enjoying the current one. Our circumstances can always be improved and the grass looks greener in the next stage of life. That's because we look at it with rose-tinted glasses, considering all there is to gain and not doing our due diligence to count the cost also. Freedom is our goal but with great freedom comes great responsibility; Luke 12:48 "For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more." It sounds counterintuitive but freedom comes at a cost.
Having all of this in mind, I believe it's important to be present in the moment and enjoy the season you're in. Even through the good and the bad times, they have their purpose and add depth to our human experience. The next season isn't better or worse than the former; it's just a necessary season to go through in the cycle of life. Being content is a great gain because it allows you to appreciate where you are in life and helps you to avoid disappointments in the next season too; 1 Timothy 6:6 "Now godliness with contentment is great gain". Whilst it is healthy to desire new stages of life, it shouldn't be at the expense of being grateful for the now. I don't want to live in perpetual regret of looking back and wishing I had appreciated the life I used to have. Seasons have their purpose, and there is a time for everything under heaven.
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