I left for work during the wee hours of the morning before the sunlight could break through the night sky. About 30 minutes into my commute, the world began to manifest its colors. The light of day began illuminating the road before me. Amid the morning beauty, I thought, “the dawn is breaking.” While it may have been a sort of narration in my mind, the phrase had a hopeful prophetic undertone. That phrase reverberated within me for the remainder of the week, provoking the wonder of possibility. I began to contemplate venturing into new rhythms of life.
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up 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 together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast 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 for war, and a time for peace” –Ecclesiastes 3:1.
There is a rhythm to life that expresses itself as seasons. This rhythm has surrounded us since the dawn of creation. The sun rises every morning and sets every evening. The moon makes its appearance, getting outshined by the sun in the morning once more, resetting our 24-hour day. The seven-day week begins fresh every Sunday, followed by the fast pace of work and family, ending every Saturday. A year has twelve months divided into four seasons, each ushering in its divine purpose. Sowing, reaping, resting, and rejuvenating. Ecclesiastes describes how every individual also developed a rhythm for what fits our pace of life.
But what happens when it seems as though our rhythm has failed us?
While we love that consistency gives us a sense of security, this passage in Ecclesiastes assures us that our environment is ever-changing. I believe that God, the originator of rhythm, was the one to build this desire for consistency into us because only in Him He can it be fulfilled. What happens when you must take an unplanned pay cut? A family member gets ill, and you have medical bills and schedule changes that your rhythm is in no way in sync with your current rhythm?
You see, it is these moments that build our faith in God. We must accept that the rhythm of life is constantly changing and adapting to whatever comes. If we expect things to stay status quo and refuse to move with the shifting seasons, discouragement will set in, leaving us filled with doubt and fear. As the seasons of life change, we must trust that the One who remains constant and is unchanging is the same One who knows our end from our beginning and will see us through.
Scholars believe that the writer of Ecclesiastes was King Solomon, the king of Israel. He had a philosophical mind, always searching for the meaning of life beyond what his wealth could buy him. If anyone in his time could have shifted anything for his benefit, it was King Solomon. He was the son of David, heir to the throne. The Old Testament describes him as “having wisdom that surpassed all the men of the East and all of Egypt” –1 Kings 4:30. Solomon was incredibly brilliant and wealthy, able to obtain anything he wanted. Some believe that Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes after amassing his kingdom and possessions at the end of his life. He acknowledges that just as there are seasons in a year, there are seasons, or rhythms if you will, to this life; a time for everything.
You may be in a building season, where the future is bright, and you feel hopeful for what lies ahead. Conversely, you may find yourself in what feels like a tearing-down season where everything is seemingly falling apart. You may be mourning, but remember, “weeping only lasts for a night, but joy will come in the morning” –Psalm 30:5.
The dawn is breaking. There will be a new day, and what you are experiencing is only for a moment. Fix your eyes on God through every season.
When you begin to shift your perspective from the here and now to the big picture, you will become much more resilient in times of trouble. When I’m ill, I remind myself that I may be sick this week, but I have the whole rest of the year to be well! Or weeks when I am busy working nonstop for days on end, I step back and look at the big picture. I take a deep breath and realize that I am exhausted this week but remind myself there are still 51 weeks before me. I can rest next week (and believe me, I do). I choose to fix my eyes on the Lord to give me the strength to get through whatever I may be experiencing. I know that it is only through Him that I can persevere with unexplainable joy and peace that brings me through to tomorrow—because the dawn is going to break soon.
At the end of Ecclesiastes, we read these words.
“When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: fear God and keep His commands, because this is for all humanity” –Ecclesiastes 12:13.
You and I have our rhythms. We have our predictable schedules, but this year, let’s make a point of aligning our every step with God’s commands. The commands to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:31), even in a world that encourages turning off anyone who disagrees with us. It is the command to be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:9), even when our circumstance is scary. It is the command to trust God with all our hearts (Proverbs 3:5) in the face of financial need. It is knowing, on principle, that the dawn is breaking soon; that your circumstances are just that- circumstances. And circumstances are temporary. Hold on to hope by looking ahead. There is a new day approaching, and it just might be your breakthrough.
If this seems impossible, it’s because it is without the help of the Holy Spirit. I invite you today to make God the center of your life, leaning on Him for direction and fulfillment. He will give you life and life in abundance. I pray you are filled with joy as you walk with the Lord through your life, knowing that He will carry you through the trials and rejoice with you in your victories. If you have not asked Jesus into your heart, please, do it today. The dawn is breaking, and we are not promised tomorrow. “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me” –Revelation 3:20.
You must be logged in to post a comment.