“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1
There’s a shift in the air; even though it’s still 90 degrees in Maryland, I can sense autumn drawing closer. It seems like the gentle zephyr of crisp air is going to greet me in the morning, and I will start wanting apple crisp and brown butter lattes. In short, seasons do not last forever, and even though summer is by far my favorite season, I feel ready for a change.
There are seasons in life that we wish we could hold onto forever, and there are seasons we desperately wish would end. Some seasons are filled with joy, growth, and answered prayers. Others are marked by uncertainty, disappointment, grief, or simply waiting for God to do what we cannot do for ourselves.
But one thing is certain: the season will change.
The season you are in right now, good or difficult, is not your forever.
Maybe you are standing in front of a closed door, wondering why God has not opened it. Maybe you are walking through a door that has led you into opportunities you never imagined. Maybe you are somewhere in between, waiting for God to reveal what comes next.
Whatever season you are in, remember this: God is present in every one of them.
Winter is my least favorite season. I long for warmth and sunshine, and when summer begins to fade, I find myself wishing I could hold onto it a little longer. But wishing for the next season does not make the current one disappear any faster.
And sometimes, if we spend too much time longing for what is coming next, we miss what God is trying to do in us right now.
We can become so focused on the next season that we fail to prepare for it.
Waiting on God is not the same thing as waiting around.
Waiting on God is active.
While we wait, God is preparing us. He is developing our character, strengthening our faith, teaching us obedience, and planting things within us that will be necessary for the season ahead.
So instead of asking only, “When will this season end?” perhaps we should also ask, “God, what are You trying to grow in me while I am here?”
That changes everything.
So I ask you:
- Are you preparing, or are you simply waiting around?
- What seeds are you planting in this season?
- What kind of harvest will those seeds produce in the season to come?
If you desire to see souls birthed into the Kingdom of God, then this is the time to plant the Word of God into people’s hearts.
If you are praying for a harvest, plant. If you are believing for revival, prepare. And, if you are asking God to use you in the next season, let Him develop you in this one.
You are the living, breathing church of God, and you carry His presence and His power wherever you go. You do not have to wait for a different season to be useful to the Kingdom. There is purpose in this season, too.
Not every season is easy. Some seasons will stretch you. Some will humble you. Some will require you to trust God when you cannot see what He is doing. But don’t be so eager for this season to end that you miss what God wants to accomplish in you while you are in it.
Ask God what He wants you to plant, what He wants you to learn, and who He wants you to become—right here, right now.
