Let us look at the four seasons, we have Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring. Each season has its own beauty, sadness and character.
Summer, especially this last one in Australia, was a scary one. We saw bushfires, droughts and utter devastation. However, there is still some beauty in summer, with the beaches and the oceans being enjoyable, many flowers are blooming and the clear summer nights to see all the stars (if you can stay up that late!).
Autumn has rain, wind and coldness setting in (like now!). But look at all the trees that change colour during this time and drop their leaves. It’s beautiful how God made the tree do this so they can survive the winter months.
Winter is just cold and wet (my least favourite season). I grew up in Gippsland, Victoria where winter was cold, wet and foggy with the occasional frost. Very rarely did we get to see the blue sky. But this season is still beautiful! Look at the snow that falls on the mountains or think about the clear winter days you can get.
And Spring (my favourite!), where everything grows and blossoms again. The little baby animals are born or are coming out and even more, flowers are out. It is a uniquely beautiful time of the year but still has its downsides. The wet season, monsoon season, starts in Northern Australia, there’s a higher pollen count and the fact that we will be back in Summer again real soon.
This is all based on a cycle that the world was created for, by God, for things to die, grow and flourish.
Let us have a look at our own lives. We go through different ‘seasons’ personally. Sometimes we will have a summer ‘season’, where it feels like a bushfire is raging through everything or a drought is drying up something. Maybe we have a winter, where the snowstorm is making it hard to see, or you just feel cold and alone. Other times, we have an autumn or a spring, where we have either made it through a tough season or will be heading into one.
No matter what ‘season’ you or I will be facing, God has given us this season so we can ‘put to death’ something that is distracting us from Him, plant something and let it grow for His glory. Or we just need to not see anything for a while so we can turn to Him and see clearer.
Maybe you are in the middle of a raging fire or a snowstorm right now. Know that this is occurring so the seed being planted can grow. Even though it’s hard still turn to God for guidance during your ‘season’, He is always there for you.
For me, during this season of isolation, it has been hard. I miss so many things. I miss the gym, my work life, window shopping aimlessly and church. But during this raging fire season of everything being taken away in a flash, I can now see God and His good purpose even clearer. At the start, not so much. But now, I have no excuse not to pick up my bible in the morning and read it, nor do I have an excuse to not find time to pray.
God has blessed me with this time so my relationship with Him can grow more. I am not sure when this ‘summer season’ will finish, but I can already feel the weather changing. The fire is being controlled and some rain is coming so the seeds planted can grow and produce good fruit. And with it coming to an end, I thank God for the season I am going through, for blessing me with such an experience for growth.
WRITER: Lauren Paulet, attends Shepparton SDA church.