How to act when your seasons change

I’m a four seasons guy — since I grew up with the four seasons, I enjoy the changes each season.

It’s captivating when the fall colors come in, and then when fall changes to winter there’s a whole new set of sports, activities, fun, and festivities.

Then one day, all of a sudden you'll see this burst of yellow. When we lived in the Northeast, it was the forsythia. Where we live now, you see daffodils coming out … beautiful flowers exploding in color! It turns to spring, and it feels good to be warm again. Then you head into the fun of summer and the relaxation and things you can only do then. Each season has its unique lifestyle, wardrobe, and equipment.

There's sort of a cycle of putting away your boots, coats, and skis. Then you get out your shorts, lawn chairs, and beach umbrella. Then you put them away and you get out your boots, coats, and the cycle continues.

God seems to be into seasons, too. After all, He thought them up. Actually, it doesn't matter if you live at the North Pole or the Equator; you always live in God's changing seasons. And your life is in one right now.

God's people seem to live in three seasons. The book of Exodus talks about them. As the children of Israel left Egypt and came to the Red Sea, and after the Red Sea parted, and they went on through toward the Promised Land, it's evident in three kinds of water they found, that they lived in three seasons.

Their seasons are the same as yours or mine. At any given point in your life, it's possible you're in one of these three. That means right now you are. And each one, just like the meteorological seasons, has an appropriate way for you to live. Three waters that God's people encountered and they still do, and they represent a season and a way to live.

In Exodus 14, there's the first kind of water. They are up to the Red Sea. "As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians marching after them." It says, "Moses answered the people, 'Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you. You need only to be still.'"

The first season is the season of barrier waters. Have you ever been there? There's the Red Sea ahead of you. There's nowhere to go. The chariots are coming at you; there's no exit. It's impossible. God's instructions during that period of time, that season? Stay where you are and pray. God parts the waters. That's His job. You know what you do? You leave it to Him. You wait for Him to act.

Then they went on. In Exodus 15, it says, "They came to Marah where they could not drink the water because it was bitter, until Moses cried to the Lord and the Lord showed him a piece of wood which he threw in the water and the water became sweet." Okay, now there are the bitter waters. You've got the barrier waters, and God parts those; you leave that to Him. And then when you hit bitter waters, God sweetens the bitter water seasons in your life. Your job is to look for the sweetener. What can you throw into that situation that would sweeten it?

Then finally it says, "They came to Elim and there were 12 springs and 79 palm trees." That's the bubbling waters. Maybe you're in that season now. God surprises us with bubbling waters. And you know what your job is? You soak it up; you store it up. You won't stay in any one season though. God will keep changing them. In a barrier time, you wait for Him to act supernaturally. In a bitter time, you seek the sweetener. In a bubbling time, you enjoy it.

They're all designed to teach us to depend on Him. And you can be sure the seasons will change, but your Savior will not.

©Ronald P. Hutchcraft 2024