When Civility Fails: A Pastor’s Response to Violence, Rage, and the Hard Work of Truth

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  by Bart L. Denny, Ph.D. Introduction — Why I must speak I have been reflecting on recent events in our nation and wrestling with how best to speak into them. As a follower of Jesus Christ and as a pastor, I believe my calling is to shed more light than heat in times of turmoil, and to offer the seasoning of grace in a culture that often tastes bitter. This will not be an exercise in soft-peddling. It will be frank, pastoral, and, where necessary, unflinching. Somewhere, this post will fail to address a consideration that it might have spoken to. I own it, saying in my defense only that space prevents my discussing everything that might be said on a subject and my views on it. Yet undoubtedly, this will cover more ground than most newspaper op-ed articles. Some readers may focus on one thing I say in the post without taking the entirety of what I said here in context. I pray you won't. But I resign myself to the likelihood some will. What I saw this past week I saw a young...
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Embracing the Seasons of Life

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Trusting God’s Timing in a Changing World

by Bart Denny

Ecclesiastes 3:1–8

Life comes at us in seasons—spring, summer, fall, and winter—not only in weather, but in our experiences. Some seasons are full of joy and new beginnings. Others bring loss, waiting, or change we didn’t ask for. But every one of them has meaning.

Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 reminds us that for everything, there is a season—and that every one of them is appointed by God.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…”
(Ecclesiastes 3:1, NIV)

You and I don’t get to pick our seasons. But we do get to choose how we walk through them.

Here are three ways we can embrace every season of life with faith and wisdom:

1. Recognize That God Orchestrates Every Season

Solomon reminds us that life isn’t random. Every moment—whether joyful or painful—has been woven into a divine timeline.

From birth to death, from planting to harvest, there is an appointed time. And God—not chance or fate—is the One who orchestrates it all.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.
(Isaiah 55:8)

Imagine your life like a symphony. Every note, every pause, every crescendo plays a part in a masterpiece. And the Master Conductor is God Himself.

Reflection: What season are you in right now? Are you embracing it—or fighting against it? Recognizing God’s sovereignty helps us trust that we’re exactly where we’re meant to be.

2. Respond to Life’s Seasons with Faith

Ecclesiastes goes on to name all kinds of contrasting experiences—times to weep and times to laugh, times to mourn and times to dance.

Faith doesn’t mean pretending we’re okay. It means believing that God is present, even in our pain.

“Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”
(Psalm 30:5)

Think of a gardener pruning a tree. It may look painful, but it’s for the tree’s health and growth. In the same way, God may use hard seasons to shape us for something greater.

Reflection: When you face difficulty, are you resisting or trusting? Don’t just endure—lean in. Ask how God might be working in the waiting.

3. Remain Faithful in Every Circumstance

Some seasons are full of action—others call for stillness. But through them all, one thing remains: our call to faithfulness.

Paul wrote:

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”
(Philippians 4:11)
“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
(Philippians 4:13)

Think of a lighthouse. It stands firm through crashing waves and calm seas alike. That’s the kind of steadiness God calls us to—rooted in Him, whatever comes.

Reflection: Are you growing weary in a season of waiting or transition? Stay faithful. Keep praying. Keep serving. God is still at work—even when it’s not yet visible.

Trust the God of Every Season

You may not be able to change the season you're in. But you can choose to trust the One who controls the seasons.

Ecclesiastes 3 reminds us: this too is part of the story. Whether you’re dancing or grieving, waiting or building, God is with you. He sees the bigger picture—and He’s working it all together for good.

So today, choose to:

  • Recognize His timing
  • Respond with faith
  • Remain faithful in all things

No season is wasted when God is the One writing your story.

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All comments are moderated. I welcome respectful disagreement with my posts. Such discussions can cause me to consider perspectives I hadn't examined before. However, I also reserve the right to delete any comment for any reason. Why? Simple enough, this is MY blog, with MY thoughts, and I want to have a civil conversation that is, at all times, God-honoring in nature.

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