Seasons

Two weeks ago, I walked my five-year-old to the end of the driveway, where we stood hand in hand, waiting for her bus for the first time. As the bus approached the house, I could see her excitement building. And as we walked up to the bus and the doors opened, she slowed down and said, "Daddy, I’m scared."

I like to think I’m pretty good with words, but in moments like those, I almost never know what to say. Trying to manage my own emotions while instilling as much confidence as possible in my daughter is no easy task. I don’t remember my exact response, but it was something along the lines of, “You got this, I’m proud of you, you have so much courage.” And before I knew it, she was running up the stairs of the bus and waving to me through the window as my emotions began to get the best of me. I don’t cry often, but I did that morning.

And so begins a new season. The bus-riding season. The kindergarten season. A season of change.

We’re two weeks in now, and getting on the bus has quickly turned into a routine. The nerves are mostly gone. The tears have stopped. What so recently seemed so new, scary, and unpredictable has turned normal.

Seasons are a beautiful part of life. As someone who genuinely likes change, I love turning the page of life. I love the part of the country I live in with four beautiful seasons. I enjoy the hope that spring brings after a long winter, the fun and activities that summer has in store, and fall is probably my favorite season, though often the shortest. And though winter can be difficult, I love the first snowfall, Christmas, and the way that life slows down a little.

God intentionally created not just the seasons of the year, but the seasons of life as well. It reminds me of the poetic passage that King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, which says:
"There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace."

This passage reminds me of God’s timing, sovereignty, and the balance in life He created. And although so much of life can be difficult—especially surrounding change and new seasons—there is so much beauty to be found in it when we trust God.

My daughter getting on the bus was new, scary, and difficult. But through it, she found a new courage and strength. And I found a deeper level of trust in God.

All of my growth as a Christian, husband, father, and person has come through walking into or through a new and often difficult season. We don’t often grow in comfort. If anything, if we’re comfortable for too long, it can easily become an idol and undermine our growth.

Most of us are creatures of habit. We prefer the status quo. We want ease, comfort, and blessings. But what if your biggest blessing was in the next season and required stepping outside of your comfort zone?

So my question for you is, what season could God be calling you into? Is it a season of growth? A season of sacrifice? A season of trust? A season of boldness? A season of spiritual depth? Whatever it is for you, let me encourage you to take that step today. Let's stop making an idol of comfort and take a step of faith.

And remember, just like my daughter approached the bus with her hand in mine and felt secure enough to tell me she was scared, we get to do the same thing with our heavenly Father. Through even the hardest of seasons, He is there with us.