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| How can the calendar's seasons give us life lessons |
by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta
How can the calendar’s seasons give us life lessons?
SPRING
Spring bursts with freshness and new growth. Bulbs like
tulips and daffodils raise their tender heads through the soil. Trees sprout young
leaves and grow longer branches. But Spring also can form frequent
thunderstorms and hard rain beats the blooms to the ground.
In our spiritual development, we may be enjoying fresh vision
from Scripture, the beginning of a Bible study, or discipling a baby Christian.
When the thrill of new spiritual adventures wanes, we can feel useless and beat
up like the crushed petals.
After hard rain, flowers absorb the moisture and perk back
up. When we face the wind of despair after a spiritual victory, this is when we
should refuse to give up. If we continue to soak up living water into our
souls, we will not be crushed.
We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we
are perplexed, but not in despair (2 Corinthians 4:8 NKJV).
SUMMER
Summer brings rising temperatures. The spring shoots are
gone, but summer blooms abound with color. Some can resist the hot sun and
drier weather such as lantana and marigolds. As the months pass, the summer
flowers that can survive the sun’s blaze begin to fade. We can get weary of
daily watering and the beauty we enjoyed at the beginning of the season no
longer brings joy.
Our life’s summer season may be our daily routines. The
opportunities we enjoyed earlier grew to full bloom. We enjoyed the next step
we took, but the temptation to become accustomed to the spiritual garden that
sprouted can sneak in like weeds. Day to day lifestyle becomes dry, and boredom
beats us down like the hot summer sun attacks plants.
This is when we should remember that our Father is faithful,
and we need to keep our eyes on the prize of following Him. The Holy Spirit
continues to work through the ordinary.
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart (Galatians 6:9).
AUTUMN
Autumn is a time of transition as the plants wither and fade,
and the trees stop producing chlorophyll. This causes the leaves to die, change
color, and fall to the ground. But the dead leaves transform into beautiful
colors that we enjoy. We would like to hold on to this beauty, but because the
plants are dead, they must be released or new germination will not occur in the
spring.
We can become so attached to accomplishments or places of
knowledge with God that we want to stay where it is comfortable. We don’t want
to let go of what is familiar. But to expand and receive new levels of inspiration,
we must follow the Creator’s leading and release the previous cycle we enjoyed.
We can’t go forward if we hold on to the present.
This is the time to step out in faith and obey the Lord’s
leading for a direction we may not have been before.
Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out
the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare: Lengthen your cords, and
strengthen your stakes (Isaiah 54:2).
WINTER
Winter is a time where everything looks empty. The trees are
bare, and the flowers have disappeared. But despite appearances, the forest is
not dead. Inside the trees, the next harvest is asleep waiting for nature’s
call to wake up and sprout again.
This could be the time we feel the Spirit is silent. We
pray, study, and read but feel empty. But our time is not wasted or dead.
As we remain faithful to feed our souls with the holy Word
no matter what emotions tell us, the Spirit inside us stirs to bring new discovery
when the time is right.
Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun
a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ
(Philippians 1:6).
We have all probably experienced these different phases in
our spiritual journey. We can learn to recognize the signs of weariness,
boredom, and emptiness. This is when we need to keep abiding in Christ so we
will grow an abundant harvest that provides joy and beauty to the generations
who come after us. We can leave a legacy of lessons learned for others to
follow.
PRAY FOR STORM VICTIMS
We don’t want to forget about those in the path of Hurricane
Helene. The deadly weather ravaged the southeast United States with a
vengeance. Helene is a storm that can also be like some of those we go through
in our lives. We experience tragedies as this one has caused. We need to remember
that God is not the author of disaster. This is a natural force of weather
patterns from a fallen earth.
We do need to pray for the recovery efforts and for those
who have lost loved ones and property. God is the Lord of abundance and life.
When we turn to Him He is there to restore, renew, and revive.
What revelation have you gained from the seasons of your
life? Share your thoughts.
How Can the Calendar’s Seasons Give Us Life Lessons? (click to share on X)
