When the Seasons Change
It is officially autumn as I write this. The last remnants of summer are fading away: the days are getting shorter, the mornings are cooler, and before long, the trees around us will be filled with the beautiful colors of fall.
Fall is my favorite season. One thing I appreciate about this time of year is that it reminds us that change is a part of life.
Sometimes we welcome change. Sometimes we resist it. Some changes are exciting; a new opportunity, a new chapter, or a fresh start. Other changes can be difficult and leave us wondering what comes next. Sometimes change comes because we choose it. Sometimes it comes without asking our permission.
But there is one thing we can count on in the middle of every change:
God does not change.
Hebrews 13:8 reminds us, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Our circumstances change. Our families change. Our jobs, routines, and even our churches experience change. But Jesus remains faithful.
Sometimes change is exactly what God uses to transform us. Paul writes in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
The changing seasons give us a good picture of that transformation. The leaves don’t change all at once. Little by little, the green gives way to yellow, orange, and red. The trees don’t fight the changing season. They simply respond to what God has designed. Eventually, the leaves fall, making room for new growth, new life.
God often works that way in our lives too. Little by little, He changes us. He teaches us patience. He helps us forgive. He gives us a greater desire to serve others. He changes our priorities and draws us closer to Him. Sometimes He calls us to let go…
Sometimes we don’t even recognize how much we’ve changed until we look back and realize, “I’m not the person I used to be.”
As we enter this new season, perhaps it is worth asking ourselves: What is God trying to change in me? What do I need to let go of? Where is He asking me to grow?
Change isn’t always easy. But it isn’t always something to fear, either. Sometimes change is where God is leading us into something new.
Isaiah 43:19 says, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”
As summer has given way to autumn let’s remember that season’s change, but God’s faithfulness never does.
We may not know exactly what the next season will bring but we know who will be with us when it arrives.
And that is enough.