Adjusting to the Ever Changing Seasons of Life
Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8
It has been said that there are four seasons to a man's life.
1. There is the time when he believes in Santa Clause
2. There is the time when he no longer believes in Santa Clause
3. There is the time when he is Santa Clause.
4. There is the time when he looks like Santa Clause.
From these passages in Ecclesiastes we learn that everything changes in this life. This church has experienced many changes in its 162 year history, after being established in 1853. The name of the church was changed from Rocky Point Baptist to Fall Creek Baptist in 1953. The location of the church changed in that same year when the church moved about one fourth of a mile to its present location. The church was a part of the Holston Association originally, when it joined in 1857, and now belongs to the Sullivan association today. The first pastor of the church was a man by the name of Peter Kuhn and many pastors have led the church through its long history. In 1953 the new church building only consisted of the basement and three years later the new auditorium was completed. Therefore we understand that change comes and we must adjust to the ever-changing seasons of life. We can do this graciously with great gain as we look to our heavenly Father for aid and guidance.
The theme of the book of Ecclesiastes teaches that all of human existence, when lived apart from God is frustrating and unsatisfactory. All of the pleasures and material things of life, when sought for their own sake, bring nothing but unhappiness and a sense of futility.
The primary aim of the author is to show from personal experience that all earthly goals and blessings, when pursued as an end in themselves, lead to dissatisfaction and emptiness. The highest good in life lies in reverencing and obeying God, and in enjoying life while one can. Thus, the author was a man of faith; he was skeptical only of human wisdom and endeavor, especially in trying to answer life's questions without Godly wisdom. While much of the book speaks to the negative side of life, life apart from God, we do find in chapter 3 a great truth about the reality of life, that is, everything changes.
As the seasons of nature change so do the season of life. We must prepare and adjust to these seasons just as we prepare and adjust to the seasons of nature. We can do that only in knowing God and His truth. Let us focus on the truth found here in our text today.
I. We must know that the seasons of life bring change and purpose to us in God's grand scheme (v. 1).
A. All of life, including human activity, is part of a determined cycle of life.
1. Notice what the writer lists first. A time to be born. Everything that comes after birth is what we experience in the events of life.
2. To everything there is a season.
We all experience the seasons of life or the changes that occur in their own time, whether we enjoy them or not.We love some of the changes and we can dread other changes. For example, we love the season of laughing or times of joy, but on the other hand, we do not enjoy the seasons of weeping. Yet, God has something good to teach us in all the seasons of life we must face. This church has faced some weeping this past church year. We have also experienced some joy together as we observed the Lord at work in our midst. You and your family have experienced the changes that make you rejoice and the changes that bring you sorrow. The important thing to remember is that God is with us to bring good to us from all that we experience. Paul reminds us of this great truth in Romans 8: 28, where he states, " And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." We must understand that God is always working in our behalf to ultimately bring good to us in all that we experience. We may not understand how He will do this, but we do understand that He has promised to do it, and we know He is omniscient and omnipotent. Therefore, he is able to fulfill His promise.
3. We know that God is sovereign as we experience life's changes.
God in His sovereignty, allows for the willing decisions and choices of men, while all the time retaining His control.The crucifixion serves as a good example. God determined Christ would come and atone for sinners before the foundation of the world (1 Peter 1:20). Yet as scripture bears out God used the decisions and choices of men to fulfill His promise to redeem sinners by the sacrifice of His own Son. Therefore, no change that we face is a surprise to God.
4. To know this truth is to prepare and plan.
Since change is inevitable we, by God's help, should plan and prepare for it. We trust in God to guide us into tomorrow. He alone knows the changes we will face. We should pray a similar prayer to that of St Francis of Assisi. " God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference." We must walk by faith in Him.
II. We must resist our reluctance to face inevitable change
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A. To a certain degree we are creatures of habit and resist change.
Why? The reason is that unwanted change moves us out of our comfort zones. We are not sure of the outcome of change. Therefore, we are reluctant to accept some of the changes that we must experience. We all have our settled daily routines.
B. God uses change to promote our growth and His glory.
• Change will cause us to reevaluate our lives and make adjustments. Change can move us to look at ourselves differently and see our lives from a new perspective so that we can change for the better. Think of the change the disciples faced when Jesus was crucified. They were reluctant for this change to occur. They did not even believe Him or understand when He spoke of His need to face death for them. The disciples desired that Jesus establish His kingdom in a physical sense and relieve them from the bondage of Roman rule. Yet, after Jesus left them they realized their true mission and were motivated to be used to build Christ's kingdom as God intended by preaching the Gospel and performing the good works of Christ for His sake.
• Change will cause us to seek God's guidance. When we are faced with change that we cannot control, we are motivated to seek God more fully. The wisdom writer teaches us in Proverbs that, In all our ways we are to acknowledge God and He will direct our paths. We become more willing to do this when we sense our inability.
• Change will cause us to depend totally upon God. When we do this we will begin to understand that the changes we face now will ultimately bring good as we are molded into the image of Christ. God uses change to change us. Job said it well when he was facing difficult changes, "When I am tried. I shall come forth as gold." Also Peter states, " Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy" (1Peter 4:12-13).
III. We must adjust our attitude in order to face change humbly.
A. Paul adjusted to change in his life in an attitude of humility.
• Philippians 4: 11-13. " Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
• Paul learned this truth. May we too learn to find the life lessons God has to teach us in the seasons of life.
Conclusion:
• What is the season of life you are facing now?
• What is the season we face as a church family?
• Trust in Christ now and His word to guide you as you face change.
