A Season of Transition

For many of us, the coming of fall brings with it some transition, including “back to” times. Back to work, back to school, back to a more structured schedule, back to the many events that fill our lives. Fall represents a time of change. Signs of the new season will soon appear. The warmth of summer will give way to cooler temperatures; green leaves will change to beautiful colors; flowers will fade to lie dormant once again. How wonderfully amazing are the seasons of the year!

Life itself is characterized by seasons and experiences that bring transition. The biblical writer of Ecclesiastes described life’s seasons in this way: “To everything there is a season and time for every matter under heaven.” (3:1) Scriptures also remind us of God’s continual works of transformation in every season: “Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:19)

Our experiences reveal that life is ever-changing! Our present reality is one of constant and unprecedented change. Many people are resistant to change, preferring things to remain the same. Some changes are good and some we may feel are not so good, but change is inevitable. Learning to cope with and accept life’s transitions is often challenging, and yet a God-given opportunity. God created us to be transformational beings, to grow, to reach our God-given potential. Transitioning through the seasons of life is not simply about aging, but about growth toward a deeper level of maturity as people of faith. We are “works in progress” through each season of transition.

Each season of life must be accepted for what it is, and for what it has to offer. Many of life’s changes can result in positive growth experiences for they allow us see new possibilities through eyes of faith. No matter what the season, the challenge is the same: to embrace God’s world of transition and continue to change and adapt along with it.

What will the fall season bring? What transitions will we face? Uncertainty? Surprises? New challenges and opportunities? No doubt all this and more. The one constant of every season and circumstance of life is the abiding presence of God the creator and sustainer. Faith is the thread that holds life together through the seasons of life and equips us to go through every transition that comes.

As the fall season begins, and signs of transition and change occur, let us acknowledge the transitions that will come in our lives and embrace the changes they bring. Let us live into every season fully, and perceive “the new thing” that God is continually providing for and within us.