What is your favorite season? Do you love the cold, blustery winter days when you can stay inside all day and read a good book? Or do you love spring when everything starts coming to life again? How about summer when life is more relaxing and the sun beams down on you? I love fall! Basically, I love all the changes in seasons, but fall is my favorite. There’s just something about cooler mornings, colors of the leaves changing and even slipping into a cozy, warm sweater. It is just good for my soul.

Speaking of seasons, what season of life are you in right now? How are things going for you? Are you in a season of rest where you don’t have much going on and you are able to enjoy the slow pace of life? Or are you in a season of hurry, hurry, hurry and just can’t seem to get caught up on your to-do list? Maybe you are in a season of excitement because the holidays are coming up and you know you are going to get to see your family and spend time with those you love. Or maybe you are in a season of anxiety because the holidays are coming up and you know you are going to see your family! ?

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 says that there is a time (season) for everything: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.” (Gosh, I see lots of blogging opportunities coming from those verses!)

Today, I want to offer you some encouragement if you are in a season that is tough. Maybe you are going through some challenging things and feeling like you are walking through a fire. Doors are being closed or things that you had envisioned for your life are just not coming to fruition. One thing I know to be true is that this, too, shall pass.  We go through good seasons and bad seasons throughout our life.

Some things that you can cling to when you are walking through a season of hard stuff can be found in God’s word.

1. The Bible says that “All things work together for good to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) This doesn’t say that some things work together for good, but ALL things work together for good. So be encouraged knowing that, even when things appear bleak and hard and yucky, God is going to use ALL things to bring about good in your life! He will bring beauty from those ashes! That is a powerful truth!
2. The Bible also says that what the enemy intends for evil, my God will use for good! (Genesis 50:20) The enemy comes in to steal, kill and destroy, but God will use it for good. So no matter what you are currently going through, God, somehow, is able to take these circumstances and make them beautiful.
3. Look for the blessings in the middle of your burdens. Focus on the good things in your life. What we focus on will determine our day! We can all find bad things in our lives to focus on, but if we choose to live in a joy-filled world, the burdens will be replaced with blessings! I guarantee that if you look around, you can find someone going through harder stuff that you. Hard seasons don’t mean there are not good things going on around you. Look for the blessings!
4. Know that the Lord is on your side! Romans 8:31 says that “if God is for us, who can be against us”. That verse doesn’t mean that we will always have life easy or we won’t ever suffer. This verse gives us hope because our eternal destiny and the love of God are secure. Though we may suffer, we will not be destroyed! No matter how bad things seem, we must remember that God is for us. He loves us deeply!

Remember that this is a season and this, too, shall pass. Grace to you as you walk through this time. Keep your eyes on Jesus and know that He is working all things for your good!

Be blessed,

Vickie