seasons By Stella Ashworth
Dear beloved in Christ,
Life is filled with seasons. Some seasons bring joy, peace, and answered prayers, while others bring sorrow, uncertainty, disappointment, and trials that test the very foundation of our faith.
But through every season, one thing remains unchanged: God is faithful, His Word is true, and His promises endure forever.
The book of Ecclesiastes reminds us that our lives unfold through different seasons, each with its own purpose and appointed time.
Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 (NIV) “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. There is a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.
There is a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace."
I have learned that when the Lord is preparing to grow us, He sometimes shakes the very ground we walk on. He allows us to face circumstances that stretch our faith, challenge our understanding, and bring us to our knees.
Sometimes, the doors we desperately want to open remain closed, the paths we thought we were meant to walk suddenly change, and the very things we relied upon are shaken. Yet, we must remember that a season of shaking does not mean God has abandoned us. Sometimes, it is through these difficult seasons that we discover what our faith is truly built upon.
Hebrews 12:27 (NIV) reminds us that what can be shaken will be removed, so that what cannot be shaken may remain. God may use the difficult seasons of our lives to refine our character, strengthen our faith, and draw us closer to Him. Even when we cannot understand the process, we can trust the One who holds our future.
Romans 8:28 (NIV) assures us that God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Even our hardest trials can serve a purpose in God's hands. He can use our disappointments to teach us patience, our failures to teach us humility, and our wilderness seasons to deepen our dependence on Him. We may not understand everything we go through, but we can trust His wisdom, His sovereignty, and His unfailing love.
Isaiah 55:8–9 (NIV) reminds us that God's thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are our ways His ways. His ways and thoughts are higher than ours. God's ways are not our ways. We do not always understand why certain things happen, why some prayers seem unanswered, or why we must walk through valleys we never expected. But faith calls us to trust His character even when we cannot comprehend His ways.
And even in the darkest moments, the darkness cannot overcome the light of Christ. John 1:5 (NIV) declares that the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. When darkness surrounds you, hold on to the Light.
When fear whispers that you will not make it, remember the promises of God. When your strength is exhausted, lean on the One whose strength never fails. Psalm 46:1 (NIV) reminds us that God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
There is a time to weep, but there is also a time to rejoice. There is a time to plant, and there is a time to harvest. There is a time to mourn, and there is a time to dance.
Psalm 30:5 (NIV) reminds us that weeping may remain for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
If you are in a season of waiting, wait upon the Lord. If you are in a season of sorrow, allow Him to comfort you. If you are in a season of uncertainty, trust His wisdom. If you are in a season of growth, remain humble and teachable. And if you are in a season of abundance, remember to give Him all the glory.
Continue to pray. Continue to trust. Continue to walk in obedience. Continue to stand upon the Word of God, even when your feelings tell you otherwise. Faith is not trusting God only when everything makes sense. Faith is holding on to Him when nothing makes sense, knowing that He remains sovereign, righteous, and faithful.
James 1:2–4 (NIV) teaches us to consider our trials an opportunity for joy because the testing of our faith produces perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that we may become mature and complete. Our Christian walk is not merely about receiving blessings in this life. It is about becoming more like Christ, remaining faithful to His Word, loving others as He has commanded us, repenting when we fall short, and persevering in faith until the very end.
Matthew 24:13 (NIV) teaches that the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. What a glorious hope we have in Christ!
Our journey does not end with the trials of this world. Our suffering is not the final chapter of our story. For those who belong to Jesus, there is an eternal promise awaiting us: the crown of life promised to those who love Him and the crown of righteousness for those who long for His appearing.
James 1:12 (NIV) reminds us that the one who perseveres under trial is blessed and, having stood the test, will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
2 Timothy 4:7–8 (NIV) records Paul's powerful testimony of having fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. He looked forward to receiving the crown of righteousness from the Lord, the righteous Judge, along with all who long for His appearing.
Dear beloved in Christ, whatever season you find yourself in today, do not lose heart. The season may be difficult, but God is still at work. The road may be long, but you do not walk alone.
The answers may not come when you expect them, but you can continue to trust the One who knows all things. Galatians 6:9 (NIV) encourages us not to become weary in doing good, because at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
One day, we may look back upon the seasons we once questioned and recognise how God sustained us, strengthened us, corrected us, and taught us to depend more fully upon Him. Even when we could not see His hand, we could still trust His heart. So keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. Keep your heart surrendered to His will. Keep your faith alive and your hope anchored in His promises.
Hebrews 13:8 (NIV) reminds us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Seasons change. Circumstances change. People change. But Jesus Christ remains the same.
May we finish our race with faith, stand firm in the truth of His Word, love as Christ loved us, and remain faithful to our Lord until the end. May the Lord strengthen every weary heart, comfort every broken spirit, restore every faltering soul, and remind us that our labour in Him is never in vain.
Dear beloved in Christ, the season may change, the storm may rage, and the road may be difficult, but our God remains faithful. Our hope is not in the absence of trials, but in the presence of our Saviour.
Our confidence is not in our own strength, but in the grace of God. And our greatest victory is to remain faithful to Christ as we look forward to the day we stand in His glorious presence.
So, whatever season you are walking through today, hold on to hope. Winter does not last forever. The night will give way to morning. Keep trusting, keep believing, and keep walking with the Lord.
May we endure until the end and one day echo Paul's beautiful testimony in 2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV): that he fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith.
All glory, honour, and praise belong to our Lord Jesus Christ, now and forevermore. Amen.
With love and prayers in Christ,
Stella Ashworth, Bay Talk.
