Flourishing in the Seasons of Life

The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.” – Isaiah 58:11

Looking at the seasons in the garden, it is easy to see how the plants respond to climate change. Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. They all have definite beginnings and ends. Lately, though, with all the climate changes, it is hard to figure out exactly which season we are in. In the desert, it is usually pretty cold in the winter, but not this year. Instead, we experienced a few days of cold weather, and then it was back to fall-like temperatures.

When we were young, the seasons seemed to take their time, with one ending subtly before rolling into the next. The lazy, hot days of summer would slowly tick away like hands on a clock until finally; we would feel the fresh, cool autumn breeze playing on our cheeks. The seasons in our life seemed to take their time as well. Infancy, childhood, adolescence, teenager, and young adult, were each measured in years, not months.

Now, life seems to move in such a hurry. Rose bushes scorched by the summer sun and parched land produce a tender bud in the dead of winter, calling out that they are still very much alive. Fruit trees that seemed to be thriving as they prepared to produce a rich harvest die after a sudden, unexpected freeze. Nature reminds us that it is fragile and vulnerable to the elements yet sturdy and tenacious in spite of them.

This is not much unlike the seasons of our lives. They often catch us by surprise and we feel as though this is the one we simply were not prepared for, the season that will break us. But this is not the plan. God reminds us in Isaiah 58:11 that we will be like a well-watered garden. He promises to guide us and give us water when we are parched. Like a wise gardener, he carefully prepared us in advance for the “unexpected’s” he knew would come our way. We were nourished, protected, and carefully pruned so we could withstand some of the harshest seasons of our lives.

About the Author

Dawn Ward is a speaker, writer, and faith coach. She is the founder of The Faith to Flourish, a ministry for women whose loved ones struggle with addiction and life destructive behaviors. She has been married to her husband, Steve, for over forty years and is mom to three adult children. Dawn has worked in the medical field for over 25 years, primarily with female patients, which gives her a unique perspective into the hearts and lives of women. It is her passion to help all women live victorious lives of faith despite the hardships they are facing.

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