There is a time and place for each matter of life, the good and the bad. These contrasting activities are not all literal but metaphorical, and they perfectly illustrate the highs and lows of our lives that manifest themselves in our everyday struggles. The most important thing to remember is that (1) timing is everything —both our timing and the actions of our timing are important to God and (2) the proper seasons for particular actions are set apart by God. Sometimes when we look at an artist’s work when it’s half done we don’t understand the method to his or her madness—we cannot see what they see or what they have planned. Similarly, God makes everything beautiful in His timing (Ecclesiastes 3:11). So what do we do in the midst of life's many changes and challenges?
We can’t be ignorant of God’s timing.
Change is difficult and stressful, even if it’s something we want. Resistance is part of our human nature. When something stays the same, it becomes habitual—even biologically ingrained. Hence the saying: “neurons that fire together, wire together.” Changes also require a lot of effort in order to switch courses. When we drive down the road, whether the change in direction is intentional or not, there is a certain amount of power needed to adjust and even out. Delay or resistance just prolongs the inevitable and can cause more damage than good. We also have no foresight into what the consequences of our actions will be and how they will affect others around us when we act on our impatience with God or refuse to go His way.
We are called to enjoy life every day and the gifts God gives us.
Change is life's only constant and the only thing that stays the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow is God. As our physical reality changes with each passing day, so does our environment and our situations—but inwardly (mentally and spiritually) we are being renewed (2 Corinthians 4:16). It is God’s plan for us to be renewed because when we submit and surrender to Him, good things happen. It is part of the Christian life to make old things new.
The process of being refined by fire is an example of this renewal or purification—it’s often an unpleasant experience that we resist. The process of being refined by fire is a painful test, a furnace of affliction (Isaiah 48:10) but the outcome is pure gold (Zechariah 13:9). If we know that God is at work in these changes (Malachi 3:2) and that the outcome is within His will, then we know that such changes will be used to sanctify us (1 Peter 1:7). Similarly, when a gardener uses pruning shears (John 15:2) he or she carves out what is bad in order to build upon the good. God builds upon our character (the fruits of the spirit) by first carving out our sinful habits (strongholds).
Trust in God’s Sovereignty.
Through yielding to the Holy Spirit we surrender our natural instinct to prevent change, thereby surrendering to God’s divine knowledge and understanding. When you feel the winds of change approaching it's easy to spiral into the abyss of the unknown that seems to inch closer and closer. Though we don’t know what’s just around the corner, we know that God works everything out according to His purpose which is always good. Yahweh is a God who keeps His promises so we can trust that even when things look dim—it is for our ultimate good in the end. This is good news, something to be immensely grateful for! What a huge weight it is to believe that you are the god of your own life, that you are in control, and must ensure that everything works out—this is a disaster waiting to happen.
Those who abide in Christ should not watch the Creator of the universe with anxiety and stress while He is in the middle of creating His great work. We can guarantee His work will be greater than anything we can imagine. Hallelujah, praise the Lord!
There is a time and place for each matter of life, the good and the bad. These activities are not all literal but metaphorical, and they perfectly illustrate the highs and lows of our lives. The most important thing to remember is that (1) timing is everything —both our timing and the actions of our timing are important to God and (2) the proper seasons for particular actions are set apart by God. God makes everything beautiful in His timing (Ecclesiastes 3:11). So what?
[We can’t be ignorant of God’s timing] Resistance is part of our human nature, we’re habitual beings. Change require a lot of effort in order to switch courses. Delay or resistance just prolongs the inevitable and can cause more damage than good.
[We are called to enjoy life every day and the gifts God gives us] As our physical reality changes with each passing day, so does our environment and our situations—but inwardly (mentally and spiritually) we are being renewed (2 Corinthians 4:16). It is part of the Christian life to make old things new. The process of being refined by fire is an example of this purification—it’s often an unpleasant experience that we resist because it’s a painful test, a furnace of affliction (Isaiah 48:10) but the outcome is pure gold (Zechariah 13:9). If we know that God is at work in these changes (Malachi 3:2) and that the outcome is within His will, then we know that such changes will be used to sanctify us (1 Peter 1:7).
[Trust in God’s Sovereignty] Through yielding to the Holy Spirit we surrender our natural instinct to prevent change, thereby surrendering to God’s divine knowledge and understanding. Yahweh is a God who keeps His promises so we can trust that even when things look dim—it is for our ultimate good in the end. This is good news! What a huge weight it is to be the god of your own life and to ensure that everything works out according to your own plan—this is a disaster waiting to happen.
Those who abide in Christ should not watch the Creator of the universe with anxiety and stress while He is in the middle of creating His great work. We can guarantee His work will be more glorious than anything we can imagine.
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