Today as the season changes from fall to winter, we prepare
to embrace the new weather changes. The new season brings colder weather, multiple
layers of clothing, cuddling up with a blanket around the fire, and hibernating
inside the warm, cozy house. Just like any other seasonal change at first, we
are excited for the new change; however, as the season goes on we tend to get
tired and complain wanting a different season. While some of us embrace and
appreciate the changes, other prefer the warm weather over the cold weather. The
same is true with our spiritual seasons. Seasons that bring joy and comfort are
easy to embrace, and we want them to continually occur. However, seasons that
bring trials and are difficult tend to be harder to embrace and we want them to
be over as quickly as possible. Yet, the seasons the are harder to embrace are
the ones we ultimately need to embrace to help us grow. Both types of season
are necessary and a part of His divine plan (Ecclesiastes 3:1,4). This is something that we all, including me,
need to continue to work on.
During high school, I never experienced a season that was
trying or difficult to the degree that I couldn’t overcome. College changed
that. As I am one semester away from graduating I can tell you the last three
and half years have been filled with many trials and joys. Freshman year ended
in a season of absolute brokenness. At the time this was the hardest thing I
had ever experienced in my life. However, working at Camp War Eagle brought me
out of this season. I reestablished my relationship with Christ and felt peace
(John 14:27) and found freedom from forgiving my past (Ephesians 4:32). This
new season brought great joy, and I could feel Christ working through me,
mending my heart. Sophomore year started with many new changes in my life: new
apartment, new sport, new teammates, and new challenges. This started a season
of feeling unprepared and not equipped. Which soon lead to a season of feeling
lost. I didn’t feel like I belonged on the track team, I had taken over a year
off. The end of my junior year I felt defeated. It felt like no matter how hard
I tried and prayed I couldn’t do anything right. My track times were not where
they were supposed to be, and I felt frustrated and wanted to give up. Going
into my senior year I felt comfortable and prepared for my last year of college
athletics. Halfway through the fall semester I entered a new season, the
hardest season I’ve come to face, one of anger, grief, and distant feeling.
This season is one I didn’t want to embrace, and it wasn’t until I was in the
lowest part of this season that I read about learning to embrace the season you
are in. This new concept to me, opened my mind and heart to healing and has
helped me through this season. While some days this may seem like an easy task,
many days I have to remind myself to embrace this season and ask God for
guidance.
God changes the season we are in when we start to get
comfortable and stop growing. He wants to grow our faith in Him by having us
step outside of our comfort zone and rely solely on Him. After I was broken
down to my lowest, I learned to trust God and rely on His strength to help me
overcome what I could not do by myself (Exodus 15:2). I found freedom in
forgiving what I could not control. When I felt unprepared and lost, I was
reminded that I am not in control of my life-God has a plan and He will guide
to my future (Proverbs 3:5-6). Then when I felt defeated, God reminded me to be
patient and, in His timing, everything will come together (Psalm 40:1). To me
this season felt like a setback; however, I was reminded that I wasn’t failing-
God was just growing me in a new way. Now in my new season, God has shown me I
am never alone (Joshua 1:9) and compassion. When I entered this new season, I
could only see the negatives and my focus was not aligned with God’s word. However,
I was reminded God brought me through what I thought was the hardest time-
feeling broken and worthless. If He could bring me through that, He can bring
me through this new season as well. While this time was very difficult, He
never left my side and brought me out of it prospering. He carefully designs
every season as part of your journey. Whether you realize it or not, God is
working on something deeper- preparing you for the season that follows. While
embracing seems hard at first, pour yourself into this season because it only
last for a season and at the end you’ll be able to see how beautiful He made
everything with time (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
Lord, we thank you for all seasons. Please help us to
embrace the unknown of this new season, letting us grow our faith in You and
Your divine plan. Renew my heart with your strength and purpose.
