Life's Changing Seasons - What's the Purpose? Ecclesiastes 3:6

Ecclesiastes 3:6 (NCV) Perceived Loss = Unexpected Gain

"There is a time to look for something and a time to stop looking for it. There is a time to keep things
and a time to throw things away".

The last six of these opposites relate to our spirit, to our inner decisions, our deep commitments. There is a time to search [for work, marriage, new friends] and a time to give up and let God be in control. . There comes a time in life when we should end certain friendships or change our jobs, for instance, and lose what we had in the past.

The reference can be seen as wealth or possessions. But the way I read it also can be related to unhealthy relationships, bad habits, things that we put before God, events that only God can DIRECT and CONTROL. My mother had a wise saying "Pick your battles". And she usually did that "quite well" :). The loss here is defined as events over which we have no control, differing from that in the next part of the verse, which is voluntary. When we have a close relationship to God, its good to discern when to exert energy in trying to improve things in circumstances , and when to take failure without useless struggle. The "loss" that we dread so much , is "gain" in the big picture. A great example of this type of loss/gain is Christ's death and resurrection:)

FATHER GOD - THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LOVING US AND UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE TO LOSE TO GAIN SOMETIMES. HELP US TO DISCERN, THROUGH YOUR DIRECTION; WHAT WE NEED TO KEEP IN OUR LIVES AND WHAT WE NEED TO CAST AWAY. HELP US TO BE CLOSE TO YOU TO HAVE FAITH IN YOUR PLAN FOR OUR LIVES, OUR CIRCUMSTANCES. AMEN.