Readings:
1 Sam 8: 4-11, 16-20;
Psalm 138;
2 Cor 4:13-5:1;
Mark 3: 20-end

Collect:
God of truth,
help us to keep your law of love
and to walk in your ways of wisdom,
that we may find true life in Jesus Christ your Son. Amen.

Reflection - Trusting God Through The Seasons of Life

The summer is finally here! I believe that I speak for most people when I say that summer is likely the most favourite season for most of us as it’s the warmest time of the year as well as longer daylight. It is also the time when the trees are green with leaves and flowers are in full blossom. I think this summer will be especially special as we come out of the lockdown hopefully in few weeks’ time when we can life can start to return to normal after several month of pandemic.

Year in, year out, we experience the change of season and it got me thinking about how seasons change from time to time. For example, regardless of how much we love the season of summer, it will always give way to a new season of autumn three months later without failing. When I think further, I see how similar our lives are to the seasons due to many changes that take place in our lives from time to time. Our lives are a mixed bag of happiness and sadness, strength and weakness, ups and downs – all these we will all experience to various degrees at different points in our lives. 

Secondly, just as we have no control over the changes in the physical season, we also sometimes have no control over the changes in the seasons of our lives, particularly the bad seasons that can especially leave us helpless, hopeless and frustrated as we try to make sense of the situations that we are going through. The world did not bargain for the pandemic when it came upon us early 2021 and has been very devastating in so many ways since then. 

There is however an important aspect to the change of physical seasons that we all need to be conscious about, it is the fact that God is in charge of them all. Daniel 2:21a says “He changes times and seasons”, which means He designed the seasons to change at their appointed time without any human intervention. The same God in charge of the physical seasons is in charge and in control of the seasons of our lives too both at good and bad times. Here is my message to anyone reading this and may be going through a rough patch at the moment – God sees you, he knows you by name and he knows your situation, he has got you in him arms (and it’s ok if you don’t feel that way at the moment).

Even though the times and seasons may change, our situations in life may change,  our circumstances in life may change, but God is constant. He never changes, his love and faithfulness toward us never changes too – Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8)

We must always remember that every season of our lives is different and different ways of doing things come with that new season. Ask God to give you the grace for the season that you’re in, and ask God about that season. We need to be aware of and be okay with the different seasons that God has us in and the way that He wants to spend time with us in those seasons. Ask Him for strategy, give Him room to speak, and be yourself. He is kind, gracious, and loving and has more than enough wisdom and patience to go around. 

I would like to conclude with two verses from one of my favourite hymns, which is a sort of paraphrase of Psalm 34 written by David when he was on the run and he needed the assurance of the presence of God.

Through all the changing scenes of life,
In trouble and in joy,
The praises of my God shall still
My heart and tongue employ.

Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
With me exalt His name;
When in distress to Him I called,
He to my rescue came.

The hosts of God encamp around
The dwellings of the just;
Deliverance He affords to all
Who on His succor trust.

Adedayo Adebiyi