Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
A time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
A time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
A time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
A time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
Yesterday a crushing blow to me was dealt as I got another rejection from a job which I thought I would get. For the longest of all times, I've been wanting to change career and to seek something greener, more luxurious, something I consider better. Everything of this job seemed perfect. The location, the environment, the job description, the opportunity to advance myself and of course, an increase in remuneration. I clearly thought I heard a ringing affirmation in me that "this was it", and a similar prompting to drop another even more prestigeous application in faith. Thus, "in faith" I just went for this alone.
It had been a conflicting day of emotions, especially since I woke up at dawn and something seemed to say that I didn't get it. But that negative thought seemed natural as I knew that it was by mid-week that any successful candidate would be informed and as the days went by with no contact, it just seemed imminent. However, it seems that time like this, we always hold out and encourage ourselves to keep the faith because miracles can happen. But, when the email came saying, "sorry. you didn't make the cut". It felt as if the final nail was drilled into my coffin. Rejection is really a terrible feeling, its a blow on ego and self esteem and emphasises FAILURE / LOSER in big caps.
Sullen in attitude, while trying to cope with normal work and not feel downtrodden at the same time, this passage in Ecclesiastes spoke to me of how in God's principles and every living thing, there is a season for everything. Times like these, its frustrating to rationalise the possible whys and why nots of the outcome of our life. But humanly, its almost impossible not to.
Today as I was doing my online readings, I read upon a topic of what it means to be a follower of Christ. The key struggle encountered is as we feel that we are losing control, and the potential of managing our own life the way we want to manage it.
When Jesus recruited the 12 disciples, He said: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men". Note the essence He is saying, "Follow me, and let me make something of your life." Most of us, however, want to make something of our lives on our own terms, and are happy to fit Jesus into the picture now and then. But Jesus says it's about total submission.
The author of Ecclesiastes succeeded in life and got more than what any man would have dreamt of, only to find that ultimately "the good life" was illusive or unfulfilling.
I know its tough at times to handle failures and moments of uncertainty. I call it a season of bobbing in the middle of an ocean with no wind, no land and no respite. Trust me, I of all people should know better what I should be doing, especially after today. But humanly, its just tough for seasons like this which seem to go one for the longest time, but the bible says its not forever.
In aweful times of your life, may you and I too learn to let go and let God because there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.
Blessings,
M.
"I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him." (Ecclesiastes 3:14)
07 September 2006
A Time for Everything
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
A time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
A time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
A time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
A time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
Yesterday a crushing blow to me was dealt as I got another rejection from a job which I thought I would get. For the longest of all times, I've been wanting to change career and to seek something greener, more luxurious, something I consider better. Everything of this job seemed perfect. The location, the environment, the job description, the opportunity to advance myself and of course, an increase in remuneration. I clearly thought I heard a ringing affirmation in me that "this was it", and a similar prompting to drop another even more prestigeous application in faith. Thus, "in faith" I just went for this alone.
It had been a conflicting day of emotions, especially since I woke up at dawn and something seemed to say that I didn't get it. But that negative thought seemed natural as I knew that it was by mid-week that any successful candidate would be informed and as the days went by with no contact, it just seemed imminent. However, it seems that time like this, we always hold out and encourage ourselves to keep the faith because miracles can happen. But, when the email came saying, "sorry. you didn't make the cut". It felt as if the final nail was drilled into my coffin. Rejection is really a terrible feeling, its a blow on ego and self esteem and emphasises FAILURE / LOSER in big caps.
Sullen in attitude, while trying to cope with normal work and not feel downtrodden at the same time, this passage in Ecclesiastes spoke to me of how in God's principles and every living thing, there is a season for everything. Times like these, its frustrating to rationalise the possible whys and why nots of the outcome of our life. But humanly, its almost impossible not to.
Today as I was doing my online readings, I read upon a topic of what it means to be a follower of Christ. The key struggle encountered is as we feel that we are losing control, and the potential of managing our own life the way we want to manage it.
When Jesus recruited the 12 disciples, He said: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men". Note the essence He is saying, "Follow me, and let me make something of your life." Most of us, however, want to make something of our lives on our own terms, and are happy to fit Jesus into the picture now and then. But Jesus says it's about total submission.
The author of Ecclesiastes succeeded in life and got more than what any man would have dreamt of, only to find that ultimately "the good life" was illusive or unfulfilling.
I know its tough at times to handle failures and moments of uncertainty. I call it a season of bobbing in the middle of an ocean with no wind, no land and no respite. Trust me, I of all people should know better what I should be doing, especially after today. But humanly, its just tough for seasons like this which seem to go one for the longest time, but the bible says its not forever.
In aweful times of your life, may you and I too learn to let go and let God because there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.
Blessings,
M.
"I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him." (Ecclesiastes 3:14)
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
A time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
A time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
A time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
A time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
Yesterday a crushing blow to me was dealt as I got another rejection from a job which I thought I would get. For the longest of all times, I've been wanting to change career and to seek something greener, more luxurious, something I consider better. Everything of this job seemed perfect. The location, the environment, the job description, the opportunity to advance myself and of course, an increase in remuneration. I clearly thought I heard a ringing affirmation in me that "this was it", and a similar prompting to drop another even more prestigeous application in faith. Thus, "in faith" I just went for this alone.
It had been a conflicting day of emotions, especially since I woke up at dawn and something seemed to say that I didn't get it. But that negative thought seemed natural as I knew that it was by mid-week that any successful candidate would be informed and as the days went by with no contact, it just seemed imminent. However, it seems that time like this, we always hold out and encourage ourselves to keep the faith because miracles can happen. But, when the email came saying, "sorry. you didn't make the cut". It felt as if the final nail was drilled into my coffin. Rejection is really a terrible feeling, its a blow on ego and self esteem and emphasises FAILURE / LOSER in big caps.
Sullen in attitude, while trying to cope with normal work and not feel downtrodden at the same time, this passage in Ecclesiastes spoke to me of how in God's principles and every living thing, there is a season for everything. Times like these, its frustrating to rationalise the possible whys and why nots of the outcome of our life. But humanly, its almost impossible not to.
Today as I was doing my online readings, I read upon a topic of what it means to be a follower of Christ. The key struggle encountered is as we feel that we are losing control, and the potential of managing our own life the way we want to manage it.
When Jesus recruited the 12 disciples, He said: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men". Note the essence He is saying, "Follow me, and let me make something of your life." Most of us, however, want to make something of our lives on our own terms, and are happy to fit Jesus into the picture now and then. But Jesus says it's about total submission.
The author of Ecclesiastes succeeded in life and got more than what any man would have dreamt of, only to find that ultimately "the good life" was illusive or unfulfilling.
I know its tough at times to handle failures and moments of uncertainty. I call it a season of bobbing in the middle of an ocean with no wind, no land and no respite. Trust me, I of all people should know better what I should be doing, especially after today. But humanly, its just tough for seasons like this which seem to go one for the longest time, but the bible says its not forever.
In aweful times of your life, may you and I too learn to let go and let God because there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.
Blessings,
M.
"I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him." (Ecclesiastes 3:14)
