Seasons

“Then God said, ‘Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years’” (Genesis 1:14).

September is always a month that makes me think about the seasons. I suppose the reason is that September brings us to the end of summer and, as we enter the fall, we are reminded that the cold dark days of winter will soon be with us. But even with the harshness of winter on its way, I still love the fall. It is my favorite season.

We know the necessity of the seasons for the benefit of the earth. The season of growing crops must be followed by seasons of rest for the land. But seasons were not given by God only for the benefit of the earth; they were given for our benefit as well. Seasons help keep us from falling into apathy and indifference.

The changing seasons ought to be a reminder to us that we should be constantly changing and growing in our walk with Christ. Second Peter 3:18 tells us, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.” Just as the earth must yield to the seasons as they are constantly changing so that the ground stays healthy and plant life is able to flourish at its appropriate time, so we ought to constantly be yielding to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives so that we are able to flourish spiritually (“But the fruit of the Spirit is…”).

Although fall is the season when the earth begins to prepare for its winter sleep, it is usually a time when families begin to wake up after their summer break and get back into the swing of the school year schedule. In the church we ought to use this “reawakening” to help reenergize us as a church. We should take advantage of the enthusiasm of this time of year and determine that we will press forward with renewed vigor toward that prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus!

But while the changing seasons can be a means of reenergizing us they can also teach us the importance of patience. We live in a “right now” culture. When we want something we want it “right now.” And that attitude can invade the church. We want to see our pews filled with people every Sunday and we want to see that happen “right now.” We want to see our youth group grow and we want to see it happen “right now.” As a pastor I sometimes find myself anxious to see things happen quickly. But then, the changing seasons remind me that God does not work on a schedule of “right now.” He works according to “times and seasons” (Daniel 2:21).

Author Ken Myers says that when we “are disengaged from the order of creation, we are more susceptible to various contemporary follies that arise from a failure to perceive God’s ways in the world of space and time…Involvement with plants, animals, and the settings in which they thrive reminds us of the benefits of time; an important lesson in a sped-up culture for those trying to understand the meaning of patience and long-suffering.” We need to listen to the rhythm of the seasons to be constantly reminded that we should be living in harmony with the rhythm of God’s will for our lives. Even if that means things don’t happen “right now.”

So, in the changing seasons I find the lesson of balance. We need to be reenergized by change so that we never become complacent in our walk with God. But we also need to be patient and allow those changes to happen according to God’s timetable rather than trying to force things to go our way (which never really works out anyway).

In this changing season let us determine together that we will “labor, striving according to His power which mightily works within” us (Colossians 1:29).