The Seasons of Life

The seasons come and go at a glance. Four seasons per year and for most, four different environments that one lives through, every single year of one’s life. Whether it be Winter, Fall, Spring, or Summer, each and every season has both its savory and not so enjoyable moments. Although some may look forward to certain seasons more than others, it’s important to realize that each and every season is important. Without desolate and oft cruel Winter days withering the green foliage of Summertime, how can strong, invigorated Spring blossoms, more beautiful than ever before, emerge from the land?

Much like the seasons of this Earth, we humans live through different seasons of life. These seasons are unique to each individual and rather than following the rotation of the Earth, the seasons of an individual depends on the rhythm of our heavenly father, God. As someone who has lived through an extensive Winter, I hope that I can share a slice of my life to you, not to boast about how strong I have become, but rather to highlight my weakness and illuminate the effervescent presence of God throughout this whole experience.

Winter is, admittedly, a tough time for all Christians. Nobody enjoys pain and sorrow, but inevitably all Christians at some point experience difficulty in their walks of faith. I confess that up until very recently, I’d looked at tough times in an extremely negative light; however, one particular sermon I heard towards the end of Summer changed my perspective completely. Three verses in particular stuck out to me, here I am sharing these to you.

In the beginning, it was very easy for me to feel frustrated at both at myself and God. I’d find myself constantly asking, “God, why in the world did you put me through this; what did I do to deserve such a fate?” Isaiah 55:8–9 attacks this mentality, reminding us to be patient and that as humans, we cannot understand the will of God and ultimately are unable to comprehend his reasoning behind the difficult times and roadblocks placed in our lives. Like Ecclesiastes 3:9–11 states, God has a grand plan for our lives, but because of our limited worldview and inability to perceive the nature of “eternity” we often times become stuck rumbling and shaking our fists at seemingly “endless hell” which in the grand scheme of things is like a drop of water in an ocean. Finally, Ecclesiastes 3:12–13 tops it all off by stating that despite there being difficult times, that one should “rejoice and take pleasure in all his toil”. When I first read this verse, it was strange to me, as the natural instinct of an individual when confronted with pain or difficulty is to wish for the hard times to pass swiftly, to pray the rain goes away and the sun comes out once again. Personally, this verse was particularly hard to understand because let’s face it, who likes pain? This is true, but like most problems, it’s a matter of perspective. Like my mentor Daniel Choi always says “What is God trying to teach you?” Both joy and pain are given by God. Instead of rushing past, eager for the next season of our lives, Ecclesiastes 3: 12–13 teaches us to savor in every season, so that we may discover the wonders and the lessons that God has set in store for us.

I don’t know everyone as well as I would want, and as we move into a new academic year, I’m sure various stresses are starting to kick up for many of you. Many of you may have had a tough year and feel like the Winter will never end. On the flipside, some of you may be in a season of Summer, where God is showering you with innumerable blessings. As a brother and fellow Christian on a walk of faith, I urge that wherever you are, whichever season you’re in, that you ground yourself in God and make the most out of everyday that goes by. I’m confident that even in the hardest of times, the beauty of God is ever present and alive. By no means am I perfect, sometimes I can’t even take the advice that I’m trying to give you all, but you know what-that’s ok. The Christian walk is not one meant to be walked alone. As a community, we’re all here for each other, to love each other and serve each other in a manner similar to how Jesus has done. I’m here for you, but more importantly, we’re here for each other.

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