Just as the earth has seasons in the same way women have various seasons of life. As women, we are constantly moving in and out of season whether it’s physically, emotionally, or spiritually.
Sometimes we graciously flow into one season and at other times we are dragged into it. The many changes like family, career, relationships, church, community and our body all impact us. Even the phases our children go through seem to leave an impression on our lives.
No matter what challenges we are faced with in this season let’s remember that we may not have it all together, but we know the One who does.
God is always at work.
Nothing is wasted with God.
Let’s invite God into each season of our life.
As you read this blog post I want you to consider this question–What season does God have you in at this stage of your life?
Things to Remember in the Four Seasons
Have you noticed how God speaks a lot about “process” in the Bible? The word “process” is not necessarily used but people and situations being in “process” are constantly talked about in scripture.
When we look at Hebrews 11 the “Faith Hall of Fame” each one of those people mentioned Enoch, Rahab, Abraham, Jacob, and Moses; every single one of them was in process.
- God values “process”. So one thing we can take away from the many seasons we will encounter in our life is how much God values this thing we often fight called “process”.
- In nature, the fall season of harvesting doesn’t happen overnight. We need the tedious work of pruning, weeding, and sometimes even replanting that happens in the summer. The hope of life that we see bud forth in spring as the earth is awakened is only possible because of Winter.
The lovely thing about our Heavenly Father is that He is walking with us in the darkness and the light. Jesus Immanuel means “God with us.” - He doesn’t expect us to reach the point of completion while we are here on earth. We live in this tension where we possess every spiritual blessing in Christ on this side of heaven, but we will not yet experience the fulness of it. He uses our brokenness, failures, challenges, all as a part of our faith process. For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Philippians 2:13
- God also doesn’t expect us to be in a season that He has not called us to. So you can stop comparing your season to someone else’s season of life.
- God knows that death and darkness are inseparable and are a vital part of the process for life.
So you may find yourself knee-deep in a season of darkness and it may feel like you’re being buried, but maybe, just maybe, you’re actually being planted.
Are you in the season of spring, summer, fall or winter? Whatever season we find ourselves in let’s remember to embrace the season God has us in right now. In order to do that we need to remind our wandering heart who our God is and who we belong to.
Here’s what some of these seasons may look like:
- Spring Season – “Hope of life” is what I call this season. It’s a seed planting season when we see signs of life shoot forth from the dark soil. It’s a time we discover God’s delight after a dark winter season. It’s a time when God is planting new seeds in our hearts. I see this stage as similar to what I do with my kids when I want to plant seeds of faith in their hearts. I teach, share, model, remind them of whatever faith principle I want them to recall, walk-in, and fall in love with. Sometimes God reminds me of His truth by crossing my path with a person, or through a sermon, a song, a scripture passage.
- Summer Season – It’s also a time of hard work that involves watering, pruning, weeding, and sometimes even replanting. It’s a lovely time to play but it must be balanced in order to enjoy the bounty of fall.
In this season we learn lessons in obedience, service, and preparation that may involve painful trials or change. This growth season maybe those moments when the faith lessons have clicked and we are walking in them or when we fail and we are learning from our mistakes. - Fall Season – is what I call the Harvest Season- The season of reaping the bountiful harvest. This is a time when we get to enjoy the blessings of God’s work in our life and our faithful service. It’s a time of reaping the benefits of our hard work in the summer. It can be a child who is finally cleaning his room. Maybe you walked him through this monotonous routine for what felt like a 100X but now she’s doing it on her own. Maybe the bounty you get to enjoy is in your ministry, career, marriage, or healing relationships.
Here in this season, we may be faced with a different challenge of not becoming complacent because of our blessings. - Winter season – This is a challenging season in our life when we find ourselves asking, “Why God?” When we may find life to be overwhelming and filled with darkness that threatens to devour us. It can be a move, job change, rebellious children, health issues, relationship issues.
No matter what challenges we are faced with in this season let’s remember that we may not have it all together, but we know the One who does. We get to call Him our Abba, El Roi, Almighty, Provider, Redeemer and Waymaker.
He has made everything beautiful in His time! Will you trust Him?
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Influence In Every Season
I want to leave you with this encouragement — Ask God to open your eyes so that you may see the influence He has given you in this season of life that you’re in.
He did not call you out of darkness for nothing!
In 1 Peter 2:9 it says, “You are a chosen people… God’s special possession, so that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of the darkness into the light.”
Sometimes we get confused and we think this “influence” is for when we have it all together, in 5 years, when we have more time, we get a bigger platform or promotion, when we lose weight or the never-ending excuse of “when the kids get older”.
It’s not! Your influence is for right here where God has placed you.
In my book that I recently published called “Proverbs 31 in 5 Minutes a Day,” I dig deep into the Proverbs 31 passage. As I look at the passage I see a woman who uses her influence because she knows who she belongs to.
In the various seasons our Heavenly takes us through hold on to the fact that God is walking with you, alongside of you.
God is always at work!
Nothing is ever wasted with God.
As we look at Ecclesiastes 13:11 we are reminded that “He has made all things beautiful in His time.”
There’s a God-given purpose our Heavenly Father has invited us all to as His children and that is to glorify Him in everything we do. You may remember it from the Westminster Catechism “to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”
That’s why you and I no matter what we do have–influence. Not because we are famous or have some high powered job, but because we are made in His image and we have been adopted into His family therefore giving us influence.
So what are you waiting for? God has already given you a purpose as His child and He has already given you influence right here where he has placed you.
