A Time for Everything

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
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 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,
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.
-- Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 --

I find comfort in knowing that God planned the time for each season, each season of my life. He predetermined the struggles I would encounter and has placed some amazing people in my life to help us endure the current struggles we face as a family. I thought I'd share these lines... as I truly believe that I am going through what I'm going through for a much bigger purpose. I try to find ways around it, but I truly believe that in order to regain healing from all the struggles we have to walk through the 'fire' first... on the other side we will be much stronger. I will do this, holding on to Christ with my dear life.

And just to make sure the passage isn't twisted on my behalf, I don't hate anyone or wish to tear down anyone, and of course I don't wish to kill anyone. I take these verses as an example that there's a time for everything in life. There will be good times and bad times and we have a choice as to how we handle them. I plan to handle them in Love. 1 Corinthians 13 is the best explanation of true love. I truly believe love is a choice. It's easy to love when everything is wonderful, but choosing to love when things are not so great really give your the opportunity to demonstrate your genuine ability to love.

1 Corinthians 13

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.