Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.
A season is a specific period that is not marked by measurements of time, such minutes, hours, days, and so on. It is an appointed occasion, and also refers to foreordained or prophetic events. It is a time of accomplishment, and is characterized by the influence or prevalence of something. Such as joy or mourning for example. Seasons are also times of opportunity. Often it points to such things as harvest, reaping, punishment, discharging duties, and time suitable for a purpose -as in “due season.” Time has to do with a specific duration of a period. A period of time can have a number of seasons within its frame, as time embraces all manner of seasons. For example, “the 1900s was a time marked with seasons of plenty and seasons of poverty.”
Each season has a purpose, and as Ecclesiastes stated, “A time to every purpose under heaven.” There is a beginning and and ending of a season, and each vary in length. This of course is also determinate on its purpose and how things are handled by those whose season it belongs to. For example, the more submitted we are to the Spirit the quicker we can move along in a season. That is not to say a season will be shortened, but it can be prolonged. The purpose and the process involved all pertain to its length, as even the time involved in of itself serves a purpose. In God’s economy nothing gets wasted. A quick example is the children of Israel in the wilderness. Their time in the wilderness could have been shorter had they been quick to obey the Lord. Some say it could have been shortened to forty days versus the forty years that it did take before they moved into the promised land. Whether or not there is biblical precedent to declare such a thing is unclear; nonetheless, it did not have to take forty years.
Perhaps a difficulty that believers may with seasons is recognizing what season they are in, and what the purpose it is to serve. Frankly, some do not understand that they are even in a season because they unaware of what it is. They may say things like, “I’ve sure been going through a rough time lately,” but not understanding the time they are in or its purpose. Of course there is the sowing and reaping principle at work at times, where they are reaping something that they had sowed a season ago. And of course there times when people make dreadful mistakes and are suffering as the result. This is where asking for wisdom comes into play: asking the Lord for the clarity to discern what the issue really is front of us. Is this something I have brought on myself? If so, what do I do about it? Is this a season I’m in? If so, what is the purpose of the season? James 1: 5 says, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and uprbraideth not; and it shall be given him (KJV).
Here are a couple biblical examples of seasons, which means it is not a comprehensive list. Luke 8:13 They on the rock are they which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while (season) believe, and the time (season) of temptation (trial) fall away (KJV). There are seasons of trials which are meant to test our faith, which is more precious than gold. Of course this is not everyone’s favorite subject and season, but it is a reality. There are times of preparation that people go through in order to fulfill the will of God. In those times of preparation there are seasons that are part of the process. Part of the process may include trials, but there are also seasons of rest. Regardless of the season, it does have an expiration date. Remember Romans 8:18 where it says, “For I reckon the sufferings of this present time (season) are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
1Corinthians7:5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time (season), that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer . . . While the overall context relates to marriage and specifically the marriage bed, we do find that there are seasons of fasting and prayer that we give ourselves to. While we are to pray always, there are seasons that we need focused prayer coupled with fasting. There are times we simply need to get the flesh out of the way so we can both hear and pray with clarity. While this is one purpose of the fast, there are still others, but this all that will be covered here.
In relation to seasons, here a couple of important principles that are linked together with faith: Matthew 4:4 But He (Jesus) answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out the mouth of God (emphasis added, KJV). We need to live by the proceeding Word of God. This is part of our daily bread: what is the Father telling us at the moment or in this case, season that we are in. We not only need to recognize when we’ve entered a season, but we need to recognize when the season has ended, and when a new one begins. Secondly, we need to recognize what the purpose of the season is, and what we are suppose to be doing in that season. For example, if I’m suppose to be in a season of rest, I should not be trying to fill my calendar with things -even ministry. There is a time to work, and there is a time to rest. The second principle is very simple: Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (emphasis added, KJV). In order to live by the proceeding Word of God, we need to hear the proceeding Word of God. If anything is going to be done by faith, hearing has to be involved or it is not faith -period. In order to go through a season by faith, we need to be able to sit still long enough to hear from God. Intimacy is the key to a successful season. The closer we walk with the Lord, the easier it is to hear His voice; and the easier it will be do whatever part of the season is ours to do -or not do. We simply need to learn to sit still, listen to the voice of the Lord, then obey what we hear. If He says, “Be still,” we initiate nothing! If He says, “Do this” or “do that,” we do this or do that. Whatever the season you find yourself in, allow that season to bring you closer to the Father!
