¹ To everything there is a season,

A time for every purpose under heaven:
      ² A time to be born,
And a time to die;
      A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
       ³ A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
      A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
       ⁴ A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
      A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
       ⁵ A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
      A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
       ⁶ A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
      A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
       ⁷ A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
      A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
       ⁸ A time to love,
And a time to hate;
      A time of war,
And a time of peace.  -- Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

All of us go thru different seasons in life. Many times, we face challenges -- in our school days, our workplace and even in our personal life. Sometimes the challenges we face seemed so tough that we feel like breaking down. There may be times when we feel that the challenge is too tough for us to endure and want to give up. Sometimes, the devil makes it looks so hard that we feel that it is simply too tough for us. Sometimes, we face disappointments that cripple us in our thinking, and we might sit there thinking," Is it worth it afterall?"

⁹ And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

At times when I feel tired of trying, I'll pick up this verse and read, and somehow I always get encouraged. Of course, there are times when things look so gloomy that all encouragements to me seems useless. Somehow or rather, the sadness grows in us, making us feeling even sorrowful, even more self-pity. That's how tricky satan is. He'll try means and ways to make us feel awful and he enjoys seeing us lose the faith. That's why it is so important for us to get spiritual nourishment from the Word. So that each time when we face trials, we can remind ourselves that this is God's way of molding us and satan's way to distract us.

³ And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope.  Roman 5:3

Through each trial and testing in life, we gain knowledge and experience new level of understanding.