Solomon put pen to paper and wrote words that are part of Christian Scriptures (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) and which have been immortalized by the Byrds (Turn, Turn, Turn).

He writes:

There is a time for everything, 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 harvest.  A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to rebuild.  A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.  A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away.  A time to search and a time to lose. A time to keep and a time to throw away.  A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak up.  A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 NLT)

Am I, are you, recognizing the times and seasons and living in them or are we trying to stop the inevitable changes of life? If you resist the seasons you lose.

Are you trying to birth something that should die? Build something that should be torn down? Keep something that should be thrown away? Seek peace when war is the appropriate response? Be quiet when it is the season for speaking up?

Solomon teaches us that there is a season for everything. The best gift you can give to yourself, those you love and those you lead is to recognize the season and do what must be done in that season.

One resource that I am finding helpful in this process is Dr. Henry Cloud’s book Necessary Endings.