Breathe, Little One: As Seasons Change, God Stays the Same

As a missionary I have come to realize that as seasons change, my heart grows weary. Why? Simple. I’m human…and humans don’t like uncertainties. We don’t like stepping out of our comfort zones or initiating something without knowing what the outcome will be.

We’re scared.

That’s the long and short of it. We’re scared that if things change, they won’t be as beautiful or safe or comforting. We’re scared that if things change, nothing will be the same and we will never be fully content. Besides, how can we live normal, happy lives if chaos is constantly storming around us? Want the honest answer? We can’t.

But sometimes change is the doorstep to a masterpiece.

As Seasons Change, Your Story Grows

I have always loved autumn. There’s nothing quite comparable to the crisp, colorful leaves blending in a breathtaking array of colors as the chilly haze of winter slowly settles on the wings of a swift breeze. Interesting, isn’t it? How death can be so beautiful. Did you know that seed must die before it can grow?

Often in life we must face the bitter cold of night to truly value the soft hue of the sun’s gentle rays in the morning.

Sometimes beauty takes time.

About a year ago I began a painting of a mountain range. It was a pretty painting; the colors blended nicely, and the proportions were just right. But it wasn’t the best it could be. It was “good enough.” So, I painted over it.

Now the canvas is graced by a field of sunflowers on a stormy day. That painting took more time than the first one. It took patience and it took creativity and it took changes. But this painting was better than “good enough.” This painting was beautiful.

Could I have left the first painting and still been proud of it? Of course! Would it have been as fulfilling or rewarding? Definitely not.

See, God doesn’t want “good enough” for your life. His plan for you is like a lovely flower that is slowly unfolding with time. And with that will come new people and new places and new seasons of life. Each of those changes are small pieces that play into a bigger picture.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

As seasons change, remember that God’s story for you is a masterpiece in the making.

As Seasons Change, You Are Being Refined

When the world around us is uncertain, it is harder to hide the storms billowing inside. See, when we don’t have a shoulder to lean on or a certainty to rely on, we begin to more clearly identify the unsettled emotions and unhealed wounds weighing on our hearts.

Change reveals our brokenness.

It is when we are in a season of transition that our fears grow stronger and our hopes more uncertain; we begin to doubt and question and worry more than we did before. Change is terrifying because we don’t know what to do with it. We don’t know how to handle all the unstable situations and the unpredictable storms that come with new seasons of life. All we know to do is worry over how to fix it.

But change isn’t meant to be solved or reversed.

Change is meant to be valued.

As a missionary, I have found that with every transition I am made aware of a new flaw or struggle in my life. Realizing our weaknesses is not a pleasant experience, but it is necessary in the process of refinement as children of God.

Value those moments of change and transition; treasure the times where you can clearly see your brokenness. Because that is a beautiful opportunity to work on growing as His child…to be refined by the King of Heaven.

And do not lose heart! Your failures do not define you. God is not done working in you yet. Philippians 1:6 says, “…being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

As seasons change, remember that His power is made perfect in your weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9) and He is still working in you.

As Seasons Change, God Stays the Same

There will always be something unpredictable or uncertain in your life. You won’t know what your final grades are until they’re announced, you won’t know today about tomorrow’s stresses, and you won’t be prepared for every hello and goodbye. Sometimes life just happens. And that’s okay. We cannot be prepared for everything.

We cannot keep the seasons from changing.

But we can teach our hearts to trust Him in the process.

Hebrews 6:13-20 talks about God’s faithfulness in His promises and verse 19a says, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure….” That anchor, and hope, is Jesus. Someone recently pointed out something very interesting about that verse…

An anchor only ever does any good if it’s unseen.

I mean, think about it. What help is an anchor that’s just chilling on a boat deck? That’s like saying “oh yea, I take a life vest with me every time I go sailing…but I never wear it.” What good is that?

And yet, in the same way, Jesus is our anchor.

The world can be a confusing place. And sometimes in that confusion, we have trouble seeing how God is working…or how His promises could ever be fulfilled in such a messy life. But ya know what?

His faithfulness doesn’t depend on our willingness to believe in it.

Yes, hellos sometimes come with goodbyes. Yes, homes sometimes turn into memories. Yes…seasons change. But God doesn’t.

He is our anchor and hope. He is the reason we keep going and with a smile on our face.

Jesus is why we can enjoy the journey.

Because, though seasons change, God stays the same.