The seasons change and you change, but the Lord abides evermore the same, and the streams of His love are as deep, as broad and as full as ever. – Charles Spurgeon

Last Sunday morning when we were on vacation in Holt, Michigan we awoke to a dusting of snow, yet it wasn’t really sticking. We were heading home that afternoon, but as it was a dusting, I didn’t think much about it. Experience has taught me that we can get blasted nearly anytime in the fall. I’ll always remember cancelling a Halloween Party for Amped because of a freak snowstorm. But it was just a bit of snow, so we went to church, heard Jane’s brother-in-law preach, had lunch with them and headed home. 

What we weren’t ready for was lake-effect snow. It’s been years since we drove through that SE corner of Michigan and dealt with snow covered slick roads. The sky was clear and suddenly it was like someone flipped a snow globe upside down. Cars braked turning on their flashers. One minivan had spun out and crashed into a bridge. For the next 100 miles we white-knuckled it. We were so glad to reach Chicago and no more snow and clear roads (It’s not often we’re glad to reach Chicago). 

Personally, I love the seasonal change. The seasons though don’t change by chance. The Bible makes it clear that God is the one who controls the changing of seasons. As God is the creator of time, everything happens according to His perfect plan. Daniel 2:21, He [God] changes times and seasons…” In Genesis 8:22, God promises, “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease. Our planet’s cycle of seasons continues because God has established it. Changing seasons are a sign of God’s sovereign control.

Yet, if there is anything that we complain about, it’s the weather. We’re too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. It’s too windy in the fall and too rainy in the spring. Yet, all our bellyaching doesn’t change the weather and who we’re really complaining about is the One who is in control and acts according to His plans and purpose.

Have you ever considered though that the changes in the seasons are a metaphor for life, particularly the Christian life? Life is full of ups and downs, joys and sorrows, beginnings and endings. Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 says, There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot. Those words remind us that every phase of life serves a purpose.   There will be times of growth and times of loss, times of happiness and times of grief.  Just as we accept the seasons of nature, we must accept the seasons of life. We can’t rush through the difficult times, nor can we cling too tightly to the good times. Our Heavenly Father allows each season for a reason. When we trust in His timing, we can find His peace in the midst of change, even during snowy days and a brutal winter. 

Because we are confident that God is in control even when our lives and world seem out of control, the seasons encourage us to have a heart of trust, preparation, and acceptance in Him. They remind us that God is consistent just as like the seasons. Each season brings new opportunities, and we must lean into Him for strength during difficult ones. 

Seasonal changes are spiritual metaphors for the seasons of change in life. Each Christ-follower needs time for Spring – a time for new beginnings, planting seeds of faith, and experiencing hope. Summer– a season of growth and fruitfulness. Autumn– a time of harvest and reflection. And Winter– a season of rest, pruning, and preparation for what’s next. 

So, how should we approach the changing seasons of life?

We must come with an open attitude and mindset. We should enter new seasons with a positive attitude and a new perspective, not an old one. Winter in life can be difficult, yet God has a purpose for times of winter in our lives. So, we must seek His purpose, asking Him to help us see the purpose in each season, even difficult ones and to find opportunities within them.

Too often we’re so focused on the past or future that we miss what God is doing today, in the present. We must learn to avoid getting trapped in the “how great it was” or “what’s next” mode, learning to appreciate the current season and what God has for us and what it offers. Like the seasons change is inevitable; people move, friendships shift, jobs end, and new opportunities arise. While change can be exciting, it can also be difficult. Many of us struggle with letting go of the past or stepping out into the unknown. But God is always working, even when we can’t see it. As one season ends, we can trust that He has something new and good ahead of us. That’s because…

God never changes.

Malachi 3:6 promises, For I am the LORD, I do not change. In a world full of constant change, we’re secured with our Heavenly Father who never changes. He is solid and immovable, constant both in His plan and purpose, and nothing can stop Him. No matter what the seasons of life may bring, we can rest assured that as Christ-followers, we’re His children and He is the Mighty Fortress that the world’s seasonal circumstances can never move.

God’s Word never changes.

But the word of the LORD endures forever. Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you, (1 Peter 1:25). Aren’t you grateful that God’s Word is fixed and sure? Oftentimes, people change the rules or attempt to manipulate the meaning of things, leading only to confusion. But God has spoken clearly and decisively. With Him there are no ambiguity or relative ideas. Because of this, God’s Word is absolute and authoritative. It is also 100% applicable and relevant, helping us deal with all the seasonal storms that life may bring.

God’s love never changes.

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Romans 8:38–39). God loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross so that we may be forgiven of our sins and brought into a relationship with our Heavenly Father. Once we become children of God, His love only deepens so that we can emphatically claim that nothing can separate us from His love and no one can ever steal us away from Him. Even the darkness of death can’t separate us from His eternal love!

Changing seasons are a reminder that life is always moving. Some are full of joy, while others bring hardship. But through it all, God is faithful. He is in control of every season, guiding us, strengthening us, and teaching us to trust Him. So, whether you’re in a season of growth or waiting, or even a season of struggle, know that God is with you. He has a purpose for every moment and every season…and His timing is always perfect.