Ecclesiastes 3:1-11
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet[a] no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
Devotion
According to Solomon, there is a time for everything: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance. Solomon is clearly communicating that humans have little or no control over the times and changes. The eternal God sovereignly determines all of life’s activities. He goes on to say, “He (God) has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” It is a fruitless endeavor to try and figure out why certain things happen in life. The most important thing to realize is that God is sovereign. When unexpected things happen, our focus needs to be on the character of God. Pastor Bob once said, “When you struggle to understand God’s ways, continue to trust in His character.”
In times such as this, we are tempted to ask the question, “Why?” Instead, we should be endeavoring to know God more intimately. The more intimately we know Him, the more instinctively we will trust Him. If you struggle to trust God, it is because you don’t know Him well enough. So, in such a time as this, take advantage of the down time and get to know Him better!
Question to Ponder:
How do you view divine disruptions in your life? Do you see this disruption as an opportunity to get to know God better? How is God using such a time as this to draw you into a more intimate relationship with Himself? How is God using such a time as this to reveal Himself through you to those who do not know Him?
Prayer Points
- Talk with the LORD about disruptions in your life right now (big or small).
- If you haven’t already, ask God to reveal Himself to You. How will you know Him as the Father who provides unless you need provision? How else will you know Him as Comforter unless you are in need of comfort?
- Ask God to help you see disruptions today as invitations to know Him and to make Him known to those around you.
Suggested Prayer
Eternal God, thank You for causing all things to work together for good to those who love You and are called according to Your purposes. Lord, make me and Your church like David and the psalmists who would come to You regardless of how they were feeling. Give each of us a heart of faith to believe You and Your Word like those we read about in Hebrews. Thank You for their life and their faith. Forgive me Lord for all the times I lack in my faith and for the times I don’t come to You in prayer. Thank You Lord that there is nothing that I don’t go through which You haven’t taken on Yourself. You know everything, but You also understand everything we go through. Father, lead me by Your Spirit to come to You and not other things to fill the void, emptiness, boredom, craziness, pain, etc.
Grant me power through the Holy Spirit to come directly to You and to ask You to reveal Yourself to me. Help me to see trials and tribulations as invitations from You to go deeper with You. Reveal Yourself to me and Your church. I ask all this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Bonus Prayer Point
Circling back to last weekend’s sermon, Bob spoke on Psalm 13 – which was about lamenting. Although Psalm 13 does not reflect confession or listening to the LORD after the lament, I typically find in my personal lamenting that the Spirit of God leads me to confess. It typically happens right after I “hurl” at God and before I tell Him what I need. I’m usually so surprised at what I just “hurled” at Him, that I find myself apologizing. Secondly, I encourage you to also take time to allow the LORD to speak back to you regarding your lament. Have your bible open and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you to other verses. Allow Him to speak to You. Lastly, I highly encourage you to write out some of your laments and date them. Don’t forget to go back and write out how He answered those prayers. It will really strengthen your prayer life and relationship with God. Let’s keep each other in prayer that we grow in our prayer walk with the Lord!