We have a choice when our seasons change

I was in a dark season of life serving my third term in prison when I first learned the Serenity Prayer, says Liam Husband. But it proved to be a valuable lesson...

I’m a different person than I was a decade ago. Some changes have taken place in my life that I have intentionally sought, whilst some have come into my life beyond my control. Some seasons come naturally. Some seasons come as a bit of a shock. Even those we pursue on purpose may cause us to have to make adjustments and changes we may not have anticipated. How we adjust may determine what happens next or how long an unwanted season will last.

A good principle for anyone about to walk through any season is learning to be good stewards of everything that happens to us, both good and bad. What if our blessings come through the raindrops of life? What if our healing comes through the tears? There is always something happening on a deeper level in whatever season we find ourselves. So, how can we plan to navigate change with courage, grace, and peace so that we can make the most of each season?

I first learned the Serenity Prayer when I was in a dark season of life. I was serving my third sentence in prison and found myself on a rehab landing because they offered televisions. I had to start attending different groups working through what is known as ‘the steps’ and at the end of each group we would say this prayer: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

The first step to walking through any season is to accept that change is something we can’t avoid. And it comes in many ways. We will all experience sickness at some point. Accidents will happen. We will fail at certain things. We may have to learn something entirely new to provide for our families. There will likely be a stressful job loss or job transition.

Life happens ‒ there are the mountain-top experiences where we feel like we are living the dream and life is good. And then, before we know it, we are in a valley. Life is dry. Life is hard. Everything is hard.

In those seasons, we have to quickly accept our limitations and embrace the opportunities. A pressure-filled season won’t last forever, so don’t let your current difficulty define your future destination. You can’t tell what is ahead based on your current situation. Don’t assume the worst. What you are experiencing is a chapter in the story of your life. It isn’t the entire book.

Sometimes, in our desire to move on, we move impulsively and make bad decisions that have lasting consequences. Resist the urge to make a permanent decision based on a temporary circumstance. Seasons change. In six months, things could be different. If you can take heart in the truth that your current struggle is not forever, you can be peaceful, and not give in to panic as you walk through it with God.

Seasons challenge us to walk by faith and not by sight. Resist the urge to define whether life is good or bad only by what you are seeing and experiencing. We can’t always trust our feelings; we have to stay focused on the spiritual aspect of our lives.

If God is prompting a change in your life, you have to believe that his way is best. That takes faith. You have to believe that he will take care of you during the time of transition. That takes faith. The exercising of faith proves that we believe that God knows what he is doing. Don’t focus on what change will cost, focus on what God can do in your life when you follow him in faith.

When seasons change, we have a choice. We can choose to whine, complain or lament, taking the joy out of life, or we can choose to accept that life is full of transitions and ask for God’s grace to move through them. Whatever season you are in, embrace it right now. It will pass.

 

This article first appeared in Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.