God does not want me to spend time in the garden this summer. The current drought restrictions in my hot and dry location only allow for irrigating plants one day per week. With the reality of temps soaring past 100 degrees on most days for the next three months and little hope for significant rainfall, attempting to improve upon the home landscape at this time seems fruitless. But, this is still a season to nurture growth.

No, this is not a year to spend countless hours in the great out-of-doors digging, planting, watering, mulching and weeding. However, God has made clear to me another good purpose for this time. I’m nourishing my writing career to encourage its expansion and development.

To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

Fixed Seasons

Surely, God’s purposes include fixed times. He has set a schedule for the seasons to cycle. The earth moves according to his appointed times. As his creatures, we are bound to the absolutes of God’s natural law. There is a time to be born and a time to die. Yet, we are given a lot of latitude in which to choose the times and seasons for following the paths toward our destinies.

Seasons of Choice

In his wisdom, God allows us to pursue our earthly goals. And, when we submit to the call of his purposes, he provides the time for us to undertake our quests in due season. If we attempt to advance the misplaced priorities of our own agendas, even our best efforts will fall flat (grits teeth, having learned this first hand). Our God is good to give us the gifts of reason and revelation, and we do well to avail ourselves of them.

Changing Seasons

So, what can we do when God’s plan for us leads to disappointment due to the end of a season in which we found contentment? We can have confidence that God’s next season for us will be altogether good and profitable. He has a different type of work for us to do. We display wisdom when we seize the opportunity provided by this time of change and embrace its divinely appointed purpose.

Looking at the current season of your life, where is God taking you? What do you believe God is calling you to in this place and time?

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Turn! Turn! Turn! – THE BYRDS, 1965. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zx6j4vI8lE