As I watch the leaves turn shades of red, orange, and yellow, I can’t help but think of change. It’s one of those inevitable things. Just as the seasons change, so does life.

One minute we’re in college, finding Prince Charming and graduating to get married and start a career. The next our kids are graduating from high school. And then our grandkids are walking down the aisle.

Some changes are difficult. The death of a parent, child, or best friend.  Moving away from home. Divorce. Trying to change a diet or stop a bad habit. Becoming a step-parent. Empty nesting. Growing older and losing capabilities that once were natural. None are easy to deal with.

Other changes are easier, like when the toddler learns to potty and no longer needs diapers. Getting married. Moving into a new house. Getting our hair colored or cut. We see these as changes that bring joy into our lives.

One of the most difficult changes in my life was becoming a step-mother. Before I married Victor, I spent a lot of time with his son, Zachary. I helped him with his homework. I watched him while his father worked a side job on a Saturday afternoon. We played and laughed and had fun.

The moment I said, “I do” at our wedding, things changed. He began a silent rebellion, and his parents often accused me of overstepping my bounds when all I was trying to do was make sure he was safe and taken care of. Sometimes that involves discipline, such as removing privileges. The one time he almost got hit by a truck because he disobeyed me, I thought I was going to explode. For the next nine years I spent day after day reminding myself that God sees all and God knows my heart.

The key to surviving the difficult changes and the winter seasons is to remember that “this too shall pass.” Because change is inevitable.

The second key is to remember that even when everything around us seems to be falling like the leaves off the trees, God remains the same. He is the one constant that never changes.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8

Just like each season in the physical world has a purpose, so does each season in our lives.

To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

Winter is a time of rest and restoration. Spring is a time of new life and refreshing. Summer is a time of sowing and growth. Autumn is a time of reaping the harvest.

Ask Yourself:

What purpose is this season in your life serving?

Are you resting? Is God working something new? Are you growing? Is it a season of gathering or success?

Whatever season you are in, how are you handling it?

Are you allowing God to work a change in your heart? Are you fighting against it?

Are you in denial of a loss? Are you celebrating a harvest?

Do you trust God to see you through the change?

Pray:

Father, thank You for seeing me through the seasons of life. I know that with You by my side, I have nothing to fear or worry about. You will never change, no matter how much the world around me does. And in that I can put my trust.

Join the Conversation:

What season are you in? Is the change difficult or easy? What can we celebrate with you, even in the midst of the changes?