THE IMPORTANCE OF TIMING IN THE SEASONS OF LIFE (CLOSE THE CHAPTER 5)
“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” Psalm 90:12.
“To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven” Ecclesiastes 3:1.
Time is of the essence as far as our lives on earth are concerned. Here on earth, the time available to us is limited. We don’t have the luxury of infinity. We must do whatever we need to do as appropriate. It is not enough to know what needs to be done, but it is equally important to recognize when it should be done. As we study the processes God has established in the cycle of human life, we will discover that we cannot over emphasize the issue of time. Everything is regulated by time. Our wisdom lies in being able to recognize the right time to do whatever we are called to do. Closing old chapters and beginning new chapters are time related. There are two basic concepts which deal with “time” in the scriptures. To make them clearer I will employ two Greek words for “time” in explaining the concepts. The words are “kronos” and “kairos”.
Kronos– from where we get the words chronology or sequence and chronometer which in the old days referred to the timepiece. The stages and phases of our lives change with time. Things which may be okay for one phase or stage of life may not be okay for another. For instance, some things can only be done within a particular age bracket. Our needs change also with time and age. These changes, stages and phases determine what should be relevant to us and what should not be; what we should shut off from our lives and what we need to embrace.
“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” 1 Corinthians 13:11.
There are attitudes and actions we can tolerate from a child which cannot be excused in adults. The difference is in how long we have been here and the growth factor such that we ought to know better. At this stage of your life there are some things we must call childish and foolish. Close the chapter on childish and foolish things.
Kairos – which is another word for time does not necessarily refer to sequence or chronology but to “season”. “Kairos” and “kronos” are different in that while “kronos” is sequence related, “kairos” is opportunity related. It deals with understanding a season and acting promptly to make the best of the opportunity it presents.
We therefore need to know the appropriate time to close certain chapters of our lives in order to make way for new chapters to be opened. There are some chapters that must close now which if we leave open much longer would have been left too late. There are other chapters that we cannot close now else the closure will be premature. Finally, note this scripture which deals with the wisdom of getting the right timing.
“Do thy diligence to come before winter…” 2 Timothy 4:21a.
In this passage quoted from the letter of Paul the Apostle to his young protégé Timothy we see a passionate plea from the older and more experienced man to the younger man. It presupposes that if we are not careful to get the right time, we may leave it too late. “Come before winter” because some things cannot be done in the “winter.” In such a case if you wait till “winter” you would have waited for far too long to do what is necessary. Get it right. Jesus advised us to learn to discern the signs of the times. What’s your response now?
Suoyo Aganaba 