A Season For Everything...

A friend came in my office the other day and we had a good 45 minute chat. We caught up on various life events and laughed and joked about all sorts of random things. He told me a few months ago his mom was diagnosed with cancer so I asked him how she was doing. He was quiet for a minute, then looked at me, shook his head and said, "Not so good".

It's at that moment when you really don't know what to say, but I sat there looking at him, trying to grasp and wrap my mind around all of the different thoughts and feelings that were inside of him. He said, "Well, how much do you want to know?" I told him I wanted to know whatever he was comfortable sharing.

He told me that his mom was diagnosed with cancer and it initially looked to be under control, but the cancer recently came back and took a very aggressive approach. The cancer had spread to various parts of her body and chemotherapy wasn't an option, but rather it was a necessity to keep her alive.

Lots of questions arise when a loved one becomes ill and simply put, there are never any easily explainable answers. I can't fully comprehend the pain and questions that arise in such a difficult situation, because I myself have never personally had to deal with a loved one's serious illness. As I sat and listened to him explain the situation with his mom and how his family is handling it all, tears began to fill my eyes as I thought of the battle this family is going through and will continue to fight in the coming months.

After he left and I was sitting there still with a few tears, I thought of Ecclesiastes and how there is a season for everything and a purpose (whether seen or unseen) for the journeys we encounter in life. Though we don't know when each of the different seasons will come our way, I cling to the promise and belief in a God who knows and understands more than I ever will and I trust, believe and have seen God create beauty from very difficult times.

Whatever season you find yourself in right now, may you find comfort in the following:

For everything there is a season,
And a time for every matter under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
A time to keep, and a time to throw away;
A time to tear, and a time to sew;
A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate,
A time for war, and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8