Breakthrough- Find Beauty in the BreakingSample

Day 3 : TIME IS THE BURDEN

He has made everything beautiful in its time... Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV

Such a pretty saying isn’t it? Well, when you are struggling to see the good because you lost someone dear to you, or your marriage is falling apart or your kids hate you and you're tired of the everyday, same “the struggle is real” life, it’s easy to almost sneer at pretty sayings and clichés.  

How can this be beautiful? I mean, currently it's awful. It’s the worst. Or maybe not so bad but you're bored, lonely, angry, broke and waiting for the answer to that question.   

As I was asking God one day to help me see the good in some really sad things I’d walked through, I came across this passage in Ecclesiastes. For the first time, it spoke to my heart in a way that brought a new revelation of understanding. I’d like to share these key thoughts about TIME with you.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8  (It might help if you go read it real quick)     

• "There is a time for everything. A season for every activity under heaven."  We will all go through seasons. Expect there will be times of joy, transition, health, flourishing, uprooting, mourning, death, healing, building, gathering, dancing, weeping, fighting, mending, keeping and letting go.       
• GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO TAKE THE TIME TO PROCESS THE TOUGH STUFF. Take the pressure off yourself, make allowances for grieving, healing, wrestling, of being a bit of a mess. It's ok if it takes you longer than someone else. Don’t feel guilty about needing TIME for whichever season you find yourself in and don’t compare your journey to someone else’s or even where you used to be. Communicate to others in your circle which season you are in and ask them to help you through it, without rushing you. If you don’t share, they won’t know how to be there for you.  
• GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO TAKE THE TIME TO ENJOY THE GOOD STUFF. How often does the everyday "hustle and bustle" take over before the next unexpected trial shows up? I’m not trying to be a downer, but if we don’t make space to enjoy life, it will be harder to endure the difficult times. When was the last time you planned a vacation with your kids, a couples get-a-way or a friend’s trip? God wants us to have FUN and experience the beauty of His creation. Try not to run at such a fast pace to achieve in life, that you miss the moments that make up the best parts of it. 

Ecclesiastes 3:10-11 NIV "I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time...yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end."    

I believe time is the burden this is referring to. The fact is that our earthly minds simply cannot comprehend eternity and the vastness of how TIME, infinite space, and God's plan is working from start to finish. We see glimpses of what can be, but mostly we struggle withnnot being able to see beyond the fog of our current situation.  

Simply put, we can’t see past our pain to know how God will keep His promise to bring beauty from it. This is a burden. In the moment all we want is to get “THERE”. To understand. To know why, have the answers and see the reasons. 

We must ACCEPT that some answers will never be ours until we get to Eternity in heaven. We can TRUST that our God, our Creator and Sustainer, truly does work everything for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purposes (Romans 8:28), and at the right time, we will reap a harvest, (we will see the beauty) IF WE DO NOT GIVE UP. (Galatians 6:9)  

I know for me, I needed these reminders about time to bring clarity into my discouraging places. It allowed me to reset my perspective and relieve some pressure to figure things out. It validated the burden of the unknown and reminded me to put it all back in the capable, loving hands of the One who sees it all and wants the best for me.  

-Nicole

Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion:    

1. In what area(s) do I need to allow myself more TIME?    
2. How has TIME (current or past walking through the unknown) been a burden for me?     
3. Are there any questions that I need to release and trust that God is working for good? 

DAILY ACTION STEP:  

Todays graphic has several questions about TIME in it. Find a cozy place with a warm cup of coffee or yummy treat and answer each one to evaluate and repurpose how you want to spend your time.