To Everything There Is a Season

Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verse 1: “To every thing there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.”

There is a significant difference between knowing seasons and understanding seasons. Knowing has to do with surface-level knowledge of facts and information. If someone says the word “seasons,” most people can give a basic definition. But understanding is deeper. Understanding carries a deeper meaning, a deeper context, and a deeper implication. Many people have knowledge of what seasons are, but they lack the proper understanding of how seasons work, why seasons exist, what God’s intention is concerning seasons, and how to apply the principles of seasons to life issues. Knowledge alone is not enough. Understanding is what makes knowledge productive.

A practical illustration makes this clear. Someone needed to send a package from Nigeria. They had knowledge that DHL offers fast delivery and that special delivery services exist. They assumed that if they paid for special delivery, the package would arrive the next day. However, because it was a bank holiday weekend, even the special delivery would not arrive until Tuesday. They had knowledge, but they did not understand how the process worked. They paid extra money, wasted time, went to the wrong delivery center, and was told, “You used the wrong DHL.” They knew the name DHL. They knew about pressure delivery. But they never understood the process. This is exactly what happens to many believers. They have surface knowledge of seasons, but they do not understand the principles. This month is about moving from surface knowledge to in-depth understanding, learning how to apply those principles to real life issues.

Why is understanding seasons so necessary? First, it helps with critical thinking. Understanding helps a person analyze and gather information about the circumstances and situations around them at any particular time. It prevents misinformation. Because that person did not have understanding, they were misinformed and wasted money. The same happens spiritually. Surface knowledge alone does not help. A proper understanding of seasons makes life productive. Second, understanding seasons helps with problem-solving. It helps a person know how to solve complex problems. First Chronicles chapter 12 verse 32 says, “Of the sons of Issachar which were men that had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do.” Understanding the seasons shows a person what to do.

So what are seasons? In Hebrew, the word for seasons means an appointed time, a designed time for divine appointment, a sacred moment. This is far more than just weather changes. On the surface, people think of rainy season and dry season in Africa, or autumn, spring, winter, and summer in other parts of the world. But from the context of Ecclesiastes, season actually means an appointed time, a sacred moment. This is rooted in Genesis chapter 1 verse 14: “And God said, let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night, and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and for years.” The sun, the moon, and the stars serve as signs for the appointed time, making season a sacred moment. While natural seasons like summer and winter exist, the word season goes beyond that literal meaning. It symbolizes different periods in a person’s life and in the unfolding of God’s plan.

There are several key facts about seasons that every believer must understand.

First, God created seasons. Genesis chapter 1 verses 14 to 15 shows that God made the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night, and God saw that it was good. God created every single season, whether from the perspective of night and day or from the perspective of God’s appointed time for the lives of believers.

Second, there will always be seasons. Genesis chapter 8 verse 22 says, “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” Seasons are a permanent part of life on earth.

Third, God alone ordains and changes seasons. Seasons are subject to the changes of God’s ordination. God creates seasons, and God changes them according to His will. To a large extent, no person has control over seasons. Daniel chapter 2 verse 21 declares, “He changeth the times and the seasons. He removeth kings, and setteth up kings.” God is the one who creates and changes every single thing. Many people think they have control over the seasons of their lives, but Scripture is clear that God is in charge and in control of these changes. Psalm 104 verse 19 says, “He appointed the moon for seasons.” It is God that appoints seasons, not man.

No matter what season of life a person is in right now, if they have tried everything possible to bring change and nothing has happened, it is because that season is not in their hands. When God is in charge of a specific season, He alone can change it and make it what He wants it to be. Fourth, every season has a specific purpose. Ecclesiastes 3 verse 1 says to everything there is a season and a time to every purpose. God did not say for some seasons, but to everything. Whether a season is good or bad, sweet or bitter, whether a person is happy about the situation or not happy about it, to every single thing under the surface of the earth, God created it for a specific purpose.

The life of Joseph provides a powerful example. Pharaoh had a dream, and no one could interpret it. That was the appointed time for Joseph to come out of prison. Joseph interpreted the dream and revealed that there would be seven years of planting and seven years of not planting. These were all orchestrated by God. God showed Pharaoh that there would be seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine, and it was for a divine purpose. When God showed the interpretation to Joseph, it was also for a purpose. God allowed Joseph to play a specific role in that particular season. The fact that Joseph gave the plan for how the dream should run did not make Joseph Pharaoh. God uses different seasons such as planting, harvesting, reaping, and rejoicing for His divine purpose.

Even the life of Jesus Christ demonstrates this truth. There was a season when Jesus went to the garden of Gethsemane and wept and cried and prayed, saying, “If you would let this cup pass over me.” There was a season when Jesus did signs and wonders and miracles. But there was also the season when He was going to die and go to the cross. That season was for God’s divine purpose. Every season of a believer’s life, whether they are happy about it or not, is for God’s divine purpose. This understanding is necessary to run with what God wants to accomplish, so that a person does not end up making costly mistakes. This understanding allows a believer to buy back their time. Understanding the right season helps a person stay where God wants them to stay, do what God wants them to do, and acknowledge the way of God even in situations that do not make sense.

Isaiah chapter 44 verse 24 says, “I am the Lord that maketh all things.” Jeremiah chapter 1 verse 5 says, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee.” Nothing, no season of a person’s life happens by accident. Even a joyous season, God has a purpose for it. In the season of planting, God created that season for His divine purpose because He knew that they needed to gather food together so they would not die in the season of famine. God always has a plan and a reason for every stage and every season of life.

Finally, Acts chapter 1 verse 7 says, “And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power.” A believer does not need to know everything about every season. There are times God will show a person the season they are going through and explain what is going to happen. There are other times God may not give the full story. The truth is, a person does not need to know everything about the season. Sometimes the information might even be misleading. In Acts chapter 1 verse 6, the disciples asked Jesus, “Lord, will you at this time restore again the kingdom of Israel?” They thought because He had risen from the dead, this was the end. But Jesus said, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons.” The entire church age had not yet been formed, so Jesus would not have restored Israel at that particular time.

Many believers are going through certain seasons they may like or may not like. There are expectations and things they want to see in this season of their life. But here is the truth: God created the season. God appointed the season. God has a divine purpose for the season. And a believer may not need to know everything about the season. What they need is to trust the One who controls the seasons. Trust God. Trust His timing. Trust His leading. In every season, whether planting or harvesting, whether joy or waiting, the living God is working out His divine purpose. That is what it truly means to understand seasons.

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