Surrender of Seasons
It is no secret to those who know me. I have a love affair with summer. The early morning sunrises, long days, late sunsets and warm nights to walk outside and watch how the lightning bugs put a twinkle in the atmosphere, or watching a powerful display of heat lightning in the distance, or cooling off after a hot day with a sudden thunderstorm and downpour. Summer is bold and clear and beautiful, and I hold onto it until the very end.
Autumn is now here, and nature is reminding me of that. This season, bold in another way, or at least in these parts of PA, the vibrant red, orange, and yellow colors sometimes seem to appear out of nowhere announcing the transition of seasons. The temperature drops, the sun rises later each morning, and sets too early each night. But there is something different about fall skies…they seem to have a burst of glory in them, a different light. So much beauty I would have missed if I hadn’t surrendered to the season and looked for all these gifts.
I didn’t want to mention it, but winter comes next. I don’t know about you, but I am not remotely a fan of winter or the cold temperatures, or the inconvenience that seems to come with it. HOWEVER, as much as this is true, it wasn’t until more recently that it hit me - God created seasons before the fall…before sin. I feel like somewhere, some part of me considered winter and cold a result of sin, but clearly, God had a plan for seasons from the very beginning.
“Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years” (Genesis 1:14–15)
God appointed times and seasons for a reason from the beginning. These times and seasons I believe point to who He is. Psalm 19:1 says. “the heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”
But if you get caught up in one season, you can miss the beauty and purpose in the next. Seasons are a gift from God. They bring about something new. They give us another glimpse of who He is. Spiritual seasons, or seasons in life work the same way. I love the way the passion translation phrases Proverbs 10:5, “Know the importance of the season you’re in…”
The season that you’re in and the season that you’re transitioning into - there is beauty, and there is purpose. Don’t miss embracing it by not surrendering the season.
Lord, help us to move with you and to embrace the seasons you move us into with wisdom, grace, and joy. Help us to know the importance of the season that we are in.