Seasons of Growth – Part 1: God is at Work

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
    wisdom and power are His.
He changes times and seasons…
He gives wisdom to the wise
    and knowledge to the discerning.

Daniel 2:20-21

No matter how hard we may try, we cannot change the weather, or cause time to pass by any quicker or slower. We have no control over them. An hour will always be 60 minutes, a day will always be 24 hours, a week will always have 7 days, and there will always be 12 months in a year. Within the course of a year, there will be four seasons- Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. While each season brings its challenges, they also have their own beauty and purpose as well.

Winter is a season loved by some and hated by others. Personally, I appreciate the beauty of snow covering the ground like a blanket of diamonds. I recognize that the quiet, stillness ushered in with the cold, darker months are a much-needed part of the cycle of life that the Creator has set in place. Nature settles in and rests…waiting…enduring the season.

“And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years.” Genesis 1:14

However, there are times when it seems like winter will NEVER end. The anticipation of Spring causes me to grow impatient. Tired of the cold and depressing darkness, I long for the warmth of the sun and want to be surrounded by the beauty of flowers and lush landscapes. I no longer see purpose in the bleakness. Becoming restless, I want to enjoy the activities of another season. I don’t want to endure this anymore! Weariness has set in.

Then, on cue, the songs of birds returning from their winter homes begin to fill the dawn hours. The warmth of the sun shines longer each day, melting away the ice and snow – awakening nature. The promise of new life and new growth is in the air. Buds appear on the trees and the dreary, Illinois color my family refers to as “bleh” slowly begins its transition. Brighter, blue skies replace the gray, and little spikes of green start to poke through the dirt – bringing the glorious blooms of spring: crocuses, snowdrops, and daffodils, (or “Happy Flowers” as my daughter calls them).

“All the flowers of the tomorrows, are in the seeds of today.”

An Indian Proverb

The flowers we enjoy are the result of the nutrients gathered through the green leaves of the previous year. When the foliage died back, the food was then protected and stored in the buried bulb as the plant entered its dormant period. This unseen part of the plant allowed it to survive the freezing temperatures and ensured it had enough nourishment to start growing properly, when triggered by the warmth of the new season. These heralds of spring remind us, that even when we don’t see evidence, there is something happening. Down underneath the layers of snow and earth, in the dark, roots are growing, and LIFE is continuing.

Seasons are not just periods of time that happen in nature, but also in our lives… in our hearts.

We all experience seasons filled with activity and opportunity that elicit feelings of accomplishment and satisfaction. We feel alive! But then there are those seasons of loss, pain and uncertainty. Buried under feelings of discouragement, bitterness, loneliness and fear; we feel stuck, we feel worthless. We are weary of this stillness – the unproductive “winter” of the heart.

“You don’t have to be blooming to be growing.”

Ruth Chou Simons

These periods of waiting for another season, can be times of vital growth. Our “winter” forces growth to occur below the surface, deep down in the soil of the heart. I am forced to dig beneath activity and feelings, deeper into what I know, what I believe about God and myself. Will I turn to the scriptures and allow my roots to grow into the Truth unchanged by the circumstances around me? Do I look to my Savior and let my heart be nourished and healed by His love and goodness? Can I rest in His faithful presence that will never leave or forsake me? Will I trust His purpose? Or… will I choose to focus on the blooms that are missing? Am I going to allow my feelings to be the final authority over this season? Will I compare and become discontent with my place in life? Our problem is that often times, we get too focused on our productivity – our flower. We focus on what we can see or produce and forget that He is always working out His purposes: even in our winters, barren of blooms.

The following verses are good reminders that God is at work in each season.

• “…remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose…” Isaiah 46:9-10 ESV

• “And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us…” Romans 5:2b-5a NIV

• “And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6 ESV

• “Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient. Stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” James 5:7-8 NIV

In the last verse from James, I love how the ESV puts it. Rather than “stand firm”, it says “establish your hearts”. Our hearts are what God is after. He wants our despair to transform into joy; our fear to be replaced with confidence in Him; our impatience to settle into a calm trust. He desires our misplaced strivings to become adoring worship of Him alone. This can only happen deep in the soil of our hearts.
The truth is, whether our season is one of extreme struggle or great victory, a season is only for a time; and seasons ultimately change. Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:” We can take comfort in knowing that our mighty God is still the One in charge of times and seasons. All of creation is subject to His authority. He has a plan for each of our lives and we can trust Him. He never changes and His purpose remains the same. One day His purpose will be fulfilled, and His timing is ALWAYS perfect. Let us remember these truths as we trust Him in every season, in every moment.