For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven…
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance…
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away…"
A Time to (Not) Play?
These familiar words from Ecclesiastes resonate deeply with so many of us because we too have experienced these seasons along the journeys of our lives. We remember the times of birth and death, times of weeping and laughing. As we grow, we find ourselves in times of seeking or losing our sense of meaning, identity, relationships, and divine love. With each turn, some things are kept, while others are thrown away.
There are so many changes, so many seasons, so many times. But where does the season of play fit in? Should we be expected to play during seasons of laughing and dancing, but denied those moments during times of weeping and mourning? I hope this short meditation provides a space for personal discernment regarding your own understanding of appropriate times to play.
Meditation: Playing During the Seasons of Life
Our most enjoyable seasons are the ones filled with laughter and dancing. We abound with energy, are excited about life, about God, and excited about this world. Spend a few moments with Psalm 150. Remember those times when your actions shouted out "Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!" (v. 6). As you continue to meditate, think about those moments when you've been filled with laughter or a spirit that joyfully dances around the room and the role of play in those seasons.
There are other seasons of mourning and weeping—times when you've felt alone in the world, as if the crashing waves of responsibilities for work, family, and friends were overwhelming you. Spend a few moments praying through Psalm 88. Think of moments in which you've cried out, "I am like those who have no help…like those whom you remember no more…O Lord, why do you cast me off?" (vs. 4, 5, 14). How do you express yourself during these periods of mourning and pain? Is there space for play?
Are there times when we laugh and weep at the same time, when we lament and praise within the same breath? Spend a few moments to meditate on Psalm 42. Have you ever wondered like the psalmist, "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted with me?" while holding fast to the promise of "Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God." (vs. 5-6a). What was your attitude toward play then?
Deciding Whether or Not to Play
Deciding Whether or Not to Play
The reasons why and how we play are diverse. Sometimes we play because we're filled with laughter and want to celebrate. Other times we play because we need to let off some steam or take a break from the pain that surrounds us. Still other times, we play because we're seeking a way to push the boundaries of our own lives and the world around us. During these times of seeking, we hope to be transformed, in order to see the world and ourselves in a new way—to enter into a world of new possibilities. Sometimes we play simply because it provides us with a way to physically express our inward spiritual reality. When we lack the words, our play can communicate our joy, our pain, our laughter, and our sorrow.
Regardless of the reasons or seasons, at the center of true play, we provide ourselves with an opportunity to enter a new world. We're given a chance to experience something that becomes a re-creative, life-giving act. It's done not only to escape the bad times or celebrate the good, but rather in hopes that we might encounter the fullness of God.
Though we can encounter God through play, we cannot force this encounter. Only God chooses when and how to be revealed to us. Furthermore, we cannot force others to play. We can encourage others, especially our youth, to join in our moments of play, but we cannot force them.
As we hear the words, "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven", we must realize that times of play shouldn't be limited to seasons of laughing and dancing. In a season of weeping and mourning, different forms of play may provide us with opportunities that allow us to encounter God in new ways, transcending all seasons and times.
Additonal Questiosn to Answer
- What seasons are your youth going through right now? How will kids in different seasons react to playing?
- What are some examples of alternative ways to play for youth during different seasons of life?
- When do you think it's okay for someone not to play with the youth group? What would they do instead?
- Can you still play with some youth even if not everyone wants to participate?
- Why would you decide to cancel a time to play?
- If some of your youth are having a rough day, will this time of play provide them with a new way to work through their troubles? Will it create additional tension?
- If you're unsure how your youth are feeling, how can a time of play help you connect with their needs?
- Will this time of play provide for a re-creative space for everybody, or will it create a spirit of angry competition and divisiveness?
- Have you experienced times of play as being emotionally or spiritually transformative? How can you share these experiences with your youth? How have they shared these experiences with you?