The Joy of the Journey: Changing Seasons

The Joy of the Journey

Changing Seasons

I’m excited we are entering my favorite time of the year. I know many of you love hot, sweaty summer days, but for me, my favorite time is fall. The cooler mornings and cooler evenings are what I live for. The fall foliage with beautiful colors, campfires, hot coffee, warm jackets, and football!  Just as the Earth transitions from summer to fall, our lives also progress through various stages.  Life is filled with seasons, marked by times of growth, rest, abundance, and change. These shifts can be beautiful, but they can also be challenging. Learning to embrace each season with faith allows us to walk more closely with the Lord and to see His hand in every moment.

The writer of Ecclesiastes reminds us, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). God, in His wisdom, has ordained the rhythms of nature and the rhythms of our lives. When summer turns to fall, we are reminded that change is inevitable, but it can also be purposeful.

Summer represents abundance, brightness, and vitality. The days are long, the fields are full, and the warmth of the sun gives life to everything it touches. Similarly, there are seasons in our lives when we feel strong, fruitful, and energized. These may be times of spiritual growth, answered prayers, or fruitful ministry.  The psalmist writes, “The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God” (Psalm 92:12–13). In our “summer seasons,” God often blesses us with growth and fruitfulness. It is a time to rejoice, to pour out our energy, and to share abundantly with others.  But summer doesn’t last forever. Just as the days begin to shorten and the leaves prepare to turn, our lives inevitably transition.

Fall is the most vivid reminder of the changing seasons. The bright green leaves of summer give way to warm red, orange, and gold. There is beauty, but also a reminder that things are fleeting. Fall is the time of harvest—gathering what was planted and preparing for the stillness of winter. Spiritually, fall can represent times of transition in our lives. Perhaps children grow up and leave home, careers shift, health changes, or loved ones pass on. These transitions can bring both grief and gratitude. Like the harvest, fall is a time to reflect on what God has done and to trust Him with what lies ahead.  The prophet Isaiah offers comfort in seasons of change: “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8). Even as the seasons of our lives shift, God’s Word remains unchanging. He is faithful in summer and in fall, in abundance and in loss.

Fall teaches us to let go. The trees do not cling to their leaves but release them, trusting that in time, new life will return. In our lives, we too must learn to release things.  Jesus reminds us of this principle when He says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24). Sometimes, letting go is the very thing that prepares us for greater fruit in the future.  In our lives, we should pause to thank God for His provision, His faithfulness, and the ways He has sustained us.

As summer shifts to fall, we are reminded that our lives are in God’s hands. Seasons will change, but His love never will. The apostle Paul assures us, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

So whether you find yourself in the warmth of summer or the cool winds of fall, take heart. The changing seasons are not random but are orchestrated by the God who loves you. Embrace the beauty of today, trust Him with tomorrow, and know that He is with you in every season.