Last week, we had a family barbecue in our backyard to celebrate Canada Day. Summer is finally here, with warm days, sunshine, blooming gardens and a more carefree spirit. The long winter is over, at least until summer turns into fall, and fall turns into winter again.

Just as there are seasons in the natural world-winter, spring, summer and fall-there are seasons in our lives. Ecclesiastes 3:4 reminds us that there is “a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance….” (NIV). We may know what time is ahead of us, but often we are caught unawares. And sometimes, we find ourselves in two seasons at once. Snow may fall in spring, temperatures turn cold in summer. One daughter may be diagnosed with cancer while another learns she is expecting a baby. How do we cope with seasons of weeping? How do we hold two completely different sets of feelings at once?

The Apostle Paul had the ability to find joy in the midst of hardship, in whatever was happening in his life. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4, NIV). He goes on to encourage his audience to dwell on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable. (8) Paul concludes this section with a promise: “And the God of peace will be with you” (9b). In spite of the many sufferings Paul endured, he was able to turn his mind to the comfort and blessings of God.

I am not suggesting that we downplay our emotions. Grief, mourning, even despair are part of the human condition. Jesus wept over Lazarus, although he knew he would raise him from the dead. We can’t control the natural seasons, and we often cannot control the situations which evoke strong feelings in our lives.

What I am saying is that we have choices. When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found their wives and children kidnapped, and the town burned to the ground. David found himself in a precarious situation. His men threatened to stone him. David cried in anguish but then in God’s strength, took action. He and his men recovered all that they had lost from the Amalekites. God turned disaster and sorrow into joy because David trusted him. (1 Samuel 30)

I would like to propose a challenge, one that is as much for myself as anyone else. Our  longed for Canadian summer has arrived: these few short months of sunshine, warmth, barbecues, colourful gardens and beaches. These months won’t last long. Before we know it, fall will cool off our days, and winter will bring darkness. For these few months, for the summer, let’s make a conscious effort to choose a time of joy over grief, to focus on all that is good in our lives, and to thank God that whatever season we are in, he is always there to walk with us. Let us rejoice in the Lord!