The Spiritual Seasons: Fall

I love fall: the colors, the smells, the crisp air. I also love that Fall invites me back into a schedule. The days are a little shorter and I begin to have permission to hunker down. The fall emotionally means something a little less pleasant. Its not warm apple cider and homemade donuts but dried apples and cold coffee. Its the time after everything was ripe, new and beautiful. While dried flowers can still be beautiful, they are dead. Fall is the season between life was blooming and before it goes into hibernation.

I believe Fall in our spiritual life includes two elements: tests/trials and spiritual warfare. These spiritual seasons are the time when all that believe is tested. This is when the grass dies and turns brown. The hope and celebration is replaced with a deep sense of change, dependence on God and question about what He is doing and where He is in the midst of the struggle.

"He directs the snow to fall on the earth and tells the rain to pour down.” Job 38:26

“Don’t fret because of evildoers: don’t envy the wicked. For evil people have no future: the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.” Proverbs 24:19-20

Often times trials can feel like we are losing and someone (maybe a person who feels like your enemy) is willing. During the time when God feels distant ground yourself in what you know fo God’s steadfast presence.

“The wicked die and disappear, but the family of the godly stand firm.” Proverbs 12:7

Challenge: Create a list of words that illustrate God’s steadfast character. Keep this list in a safe place so that you can pull it out when you need it during times of trial.