Redefining Our Seasons

God always provides a tree for shade if we are willing to walk under it. 

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I lived in Texas for over twenty-five years until moving to the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia to be near my kids. 

Unfortunately, Texas does not have a true change of season. Winter is very brief and so usually, it is just four variations of hot.

However, in the mountains, I have been able to experience a true change of the seasons. These simple but profound changes were for me, a way more welcoming experience than I can definitively put to words. Each one brought something to my attention in regards to my relationship with Jesus.

God was completely redefining my faith.

God was calling me to a new place of obedience and trust. 

I had to let go of some old things. I had to embrace change. 

I had to learn to accept the good and the bad seasons of life.

With the color of the fallen leaves, in that first October, crunching under my feet, I learned that Autumn has its own nostalgic beauty. It also brings glory to our Creator.

These fallen colors spoke to me of decay as well as of my needed change.

Eventually, I saw the leaves lose their splendor as they withered and decomposed on the ground. It represented a clear spiritual lesson on how my own sin would bring me decay without the forgiveness of our Father. 

How my own sin would one day bring forth judgment if not repented. 

It taught me how we should not build a nest in outward prosperity. 

I understood that these kinds of leaves do not cover us forever. Eventually, they will fall to the ground and die.

Only in heaven can we find a continual season that blossoms and brings forth fruit. It is called the tree of life and this tree is only available to those who completely trust and believe in Christ Jesus.

Then, there was the cold but beautiful fallen snow of winter.

In January, it was a magical and glistening sight. Snow-covered all I could see and reminded me of the beautiful white light of the Holy Spirit. A light that as hard as our world tries, it is impossible to extinguish.

I learned that season that He takes a barren winter landscape and creates it anew. I could almost hear the Lord saying, “Behold, I make all things new Jennifer!”

He had buried all of creation with a blanket of frozen ice only to let the sun melt it back to living water right before my eyes.

It taught me how God will allow me to rest and contemplate when my faith is barren and He feels distant. 

You see, He always and patiently gives us time to renew. Like the sun warming the snow, He warms our souls to accept His loving and father-like nature.

In the Book of Sirach (out of the Catholic Bible) there is a beautiful and poetic description of God and the majestic work He creates even in the “dead” of winter.

A word from God drives on the north wind.

He scatters frost like so much salt;

It shines like blossoms on the thornbush.

Cold northern blasts he sends that turn the ponds to lumps of ice.

He freezes over every body of water,

And clothes each pool with a coat of mail.

He sprinkles the snow like fluttering birds.

Its shining whiteness blinds the eyes,

The mind is baffled by its steady fall.

Spring came and in April a new life burst forth before my weary eyes.

Everything was exploding in magnificent color and freshness with the possibilities of new beginnings.

He brought me newness after the sometimes gray of winter. 

A had a new life.

Spring was the perfect metaphor for the gospel.

It is God’s nature to make something new.

I was reminded that our God is faithful.

He was ready to give me a new beginning and another chance.

Just like He is for you. 

Spring turned to summer and I joyfully planted and watched my vegetables grow. They, like Jesus, provided me nourishment and a chance to become. 

I realized God makes summer as a foretaste of heaven no matter what trials the world is bringing. 

As it is getting hotter I have learned that we can’t ever let the sometimes scorching and painful heat of the world, illness, or hate of any kind shrivel our faith. 

God always provides a tree for shade if we are willing to walk under it. 

Summer shows us what is in the age to come.

-John Piper

—“things which the eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered into the heart of man, God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

Jesus Christ is the refreshing center of summer. He is pre-eminent in all things (Colossians 1:18)

All of it was just a prelude to the real banquet.

This season also taught me that summer was just a small example of the sun (Son) that will be.

We all in our faith will have an eternal summer in heaven.

“The city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Revelation 21:2)

Redefined seasons are essential because they expose the weaknesses that make us vulnerable to the snares of the devil. They reveal more of the image-bearing creation that we were meant to be.

For me personally, as my faith is redefined by the seasons I understand that we have a right through Christ to enjoy created things when we receive them by prayer and thanksgiving.

Such lessons in the seasons, drawn from nature, should always be considered part of the loving kindness of God that leads us to repentance and prayer. 

We should also always have the hope of a spiritual season when God defines new things within us, grows us and transforms us and His created world. 

“Even when the leaves have been shed the life remains in the tree. Like “an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves” (Isaiah 6:13). 

In the same way, the Lord is able to revive us spiritually through each season of our lives. 

Let our prayer today be….

Lord redefine us though our faith in You.

Let the seasons of our lives grow us more into Your likeness.

Let us accept change.

Let us learn patience. 

Let us love one another. 

Let us glorify You.

Amen

 

 

This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Holy Beautiful Life

Featured Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

 

The views and opinions expressed by Kingdom Winds Collective Members, authors, and contributors are their own and do not represent the views of Kingdom Winds LLC.

About the Author

Jennifer Howard is a Kingdom Winds Collective Member and Founder of The Holy Beautiful Ministry for Women.