(Read online here.)
The beginning of Ecclesiastes 3 is a beautiful poetic text that speaks to the full range of the human experience—the good and bad, life and death, laughing and crying. It reminds us that life does not stay the same season forever—every season changes.
This passage speaks to those of us who are struggling with—or breaking under the weight of—anxiety right now. Breathe deeply. This too shall pass. It is a hard unpleasant season, but it will pass. Those who are children now will describe it to their children and share stories of this unique time in history. (“I remember when I was your age we had this pandemic. School was canceled, we couldn’t travel, and we had to wear masks to protect people. And back then we didn’t even have flying cars!”)
Every season has good and bad in it, nice things and unpleasant things. The beauty of snow includes teeth-rattling cold, and the colors of spring require constant yard mowing. So even though the pandemic season we are in now is difficult, be on the lookout for goodness too.
This sort of change and shift in public life is unprecedented in our lifetimes. We are in uncharted waters. But that is why it also holds unparalleled potential. When this season gives way to the next, we will be able to shape our lives and society in new ways that were not possible before. We might be stuck inside now, but we are learning a lot about what is truly important in life and about caring for others, so when we come out of sheltered shells in the next season, we can put what we’ve learned into practice and make the world better. By doing so we will join in the creating work of God, who told us to be on the lookout because “I am making all things new” (Rev. 21:5).