As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.  Genesis 8:22, NLT

Are difficult changes slowing your roll? Or, is there a challenging person making life a struggle to navigate? Maybe you’ve had a rainy period thwart your outside plans completely. This was the case of one job sites I had the pleasure to hang with recently – a half dozen men talking about hunting, fishing and life in a tool trailer while the rain hit the roof. Some anxiously wondering when they could get back to work.

Sometimes we have difficulty in our lives – it may seem endless at times and brings on a fair amount of frustration!

But are they all really difficulties – or are they opportunities? Depends on perspective.

In the verse, God is assuring Noah and his family after the flood waters receded – you can have comfort in knowing the consistency and stability of the world.

Some of the consistency might seem annoying – I don’t like it too cold for example and prefer summer over winter, and hot instead of cold. Maybe you prefer something different. Regardless of the climate and season pattern you prefer – the cycle continues yearly. We have no control.

But you might remember from earlier in Genesis that God invites us to participate with him in planting and harvest. He has given us the role of caretaker, which includes the steps from planting to harvesting. Don’t get me wrong – God doesn’t need our help to take that seed and turn it into magnificent tree that produces fruit. Yet, we are invited to help in the work with him – plowing, planting, irrigating, weeding, pest control and so on.

We have some control in the outcome.

It’s interesting that planting and harvesting is mentioned before the weather cycles, the seasons and the earth’s rotation. Perhaps because one could not exist without the others.

So, I wonder what God might be trying to teach us when we encounter those uncontrollable situations in our life. There is always going to be change, people different than you, and rain in your way. The question is how you respond.

My encouragement to you:

• Remember what is in your control, and what is not; plus consider if you are the difficult one sometimes.
• Grow from the uncontrollable situations. New skills, new perspectives, new priorities.