The Seasons of Life

“He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season.”  Psalm 1:3

As we find ourselves in the midst of autumn where the colors of life bring both a frigid cold and embracing warmth, so are the seasons of life in which we journey through.  Starring into the deeps of autumn we see it strenuously fighting to hold on, not ready to release its grip, for the chills of winter approach…  Winter is but a breath away.  So are the seasons within our lives.  In the heart of summer the abundances of life hide the bareness of us, but when the days of winter crouch near they begin to reveal the core of our being.  The abounding Fullness often distracts from our foundations.  But it is in the stillness of winter, when our soul, our hearts our very being are no longer covered by the leaves of life, it is then that our true strength is unveiled. 

During the months of winter, as we look around we see the austerity of life.  The cold and bitter epoch engulfs life as it tries to hide its inmost secrets.  But even though this era exposes the core of our existence, life itself is not barren.  We still are.  Life does not lay still-though in winter she retracts herself.  But in doing so, she is preparing for the future.  And so similar it is with us.  Seasonally, we too are stripped to the core from all of the visible gifts.  Our talents are hidden; our abilities are underestimated.  When our successes fade and current efforts falter, we can surely mistake our unfruitfulness for failure… our flourishing abundance may make us feel more productive, but perhaps barrenness has the unfathomable power to strengthen our souls.  In spiritual winters, our fullness is exposed so that we can focus on our character instead of being distracted by our gifts.  When we closely gaze upon ourselves, we are left with nothing to stare at except our foundation.  Through all these lonely difficult moments our spirit, if allowed by us, will begin to grow.  Like a tree planted by living water, we will stand and grow tall because we remain in HIM.  With gratitude we simply abide in the seasons of life.  The truth is; the fathers’ exertion within us will never fail to proceed- though in winter he may seem to be retracted.  But by doing so, he endows us with love, purifies our faith, weaves within us courage, strengthens our character, conserves our energy, AND THEN, HE PREPARES US FOR THE FUTURE!!  These chilly days of winter hide and protect us so that the tempting seductive days of summer will not ruin us.  During this lonesome winter we should strive for a peaceful pace because we measure ourselves not by where we are going but by whom we are following and how closely we walk together.  I am sure that God finds joy in every season of our lives, but it would not surprise me if we learn that He especially enjoys our winter years.  They are less cluttered with the fancies of life which more than likely distract us from his face.

The decisions we make in difficult places today are to a great extent the product of decisions we made in the unseen places of our yesterdays. In the midst of our winter epoch we must see that though we are bare to the human eye, we are still fully clothed in the sight of His Majesty. It is when we live in the sole space where God is our ‘everything;’ it is when we swim in the presence of God being drenched with him, it is then that we can live in the darkest of era’s, firmly planted ready to endure all the bitters of winter.

In the darkest of hours when our hearts begin to drown in the midst of our winter, when the core of our very being becomes torn apart we may find ourselves hopeless, barely gripping on to life.  But in these moments if we approach the throne of grace we will surely find an ever consuming grace that will carefully begin to intertwine itself through our being pouring within us hope for life once again.  Though we do not understand the mysteries of God one thing will forever stand; his generous endowment of grace that He gladly splurges upon each of us.  Hebrews 4:16 says; “Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

So as the seasons of life begin to form its dwelling around us, we must ready ourselves for what will come because today’s decisions foreshadow tomorrow’s challenges and reflect yesterday’s choices. Life doesn’t just happen; it’s something where we together with God make happen.  When we choose a life with Him, we no longer walk through the seasons of our lives alone, but we walk alongside God Almighty which brings an over-joyous comfort upon me.