How Can the Calendar's Seasons Give Us Life Lessons?

 

How can the calendar's seasons give us life lessons

by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta

 Seasons can teach us how to withstand the challenges of life. We go through transitions, but they don’t always bring circumstances we like. Bue we can learn from these seasons when we follow the Lord’s directions for nourishing our hearts.

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)

Image by Nika Akin from Pixabay