“To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” So begins the famous bible passage of Ecclesiastes. The beauty of this poem extends beyond its rhyme and simple, poignant imagery. It goes beyond the wisdom it offers for our outer life and relationships. To me, its greatest gift is in the guidance it offers for understanding our inner journey.
There is a time to play a certain role in life, and a time to let go of that role. There are times when your ego needs building up, and times when it needs to be humbled. There are beliefs and attitudes which need to be nurtured, and others which need to be discarded. There is a time to embrace a figure in your dreams, and there are some dream figures you ought to avoid. There is a time to rend certain habits from your life, and a time to sew new habits into your life.
There are things about yourself that you like and things about yourself that you dislike, and perhaps it will always be this way. There will be times when you feel at war with yourself, and times when you feel an indescribable sense of peace. There is a time to speak your feelings to God, and a time to listen for God’s response. For every season and purpose found under the heaven, each is also found within your soul.