Wednesday; February 17

One of my favorite Bible sections to use during a funeral is Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. Most people might remember the passage because it provided the framework for the Byrds song, “Turn, Turn, Turn”; yet, it stands out to me as a reminder of the transition of life. As the wise man says, “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven …” (v. 1). Most often, I reflect on the first few verses of the passage, but the other day, I was struck by an interesting phrase, “A time to search and a time to give up as lost; a time to keep and a time to throw away.” (v. 6). As often as I have used this as a message of comfort, I had never really thought about how this section could encourage people who have lost someone – then, it struck me. So often, people try to hold on to those they love. Not only do they try hang on to life, but in do so, they also hold on to grief or lost opportunities. “If I would have only … they might not have died.”. “If I would have just … they might have made better choices and the outcome would have been different.”. Sure, it is often human nature to want to hang on to regrets, but maybe it is time to let them go – to give them up – to throw them away. That doesn’t mean we forget the person we love; it just means that we just stop beating ourselves up for what we didn’t or couldn’t do.
Are you wishing you could let go of something that you can never change? Take the advice of the great wise man Solomon … it is time.

Think About It!

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