When The Seasons Change, God Remains

If you have spent much time outside lately, you have probably noticed that the weather cannot seem to make up its mind. We look out the window and see the signs of fall everywhere. Leaves are beginning to change, and some are already drifting down into the yard. The calendar says September is nearly over, football is back, pumpkins are appearing on porches, and everything around us seems to be announcing that autumn has arrived.

Then we step outside—and start sweating.

One morning feels cool enough that you think about grabbing a jacket. A day or two later, you are back in shorts and a T-shirt, wondering how it can possibly still feel like summer. We can stand at the window watching leaves fall while at the same time preparing to escape to shade if we have to be outside. The scenery says fall, while the temperature seems to disagree.

In a way, that unpredictable weather is a pretty good picture of life. We make plans and think we know what the next season will bring, only to discover that things can change very quickly. A phone call, a conversation, a financial difficulty, or simply an unexpected turn of events can remind us how little of tomorrow we actually control.

The world around us can feel much the same way. Ideas change. Circumstances change. What seems certain one day can suddenly feel uncertain the next. Sometimes it can be difficult to know where to plant our feet when so much around us seems to be moving.

Psalm 46:1–2 gives us a wonderful reminder for times like these: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear though the earth gives way.”

That is an important reminder for us in the unpredictable world in which we live. We cannot control every change that comes. We cannot know what tomorrow will bring. We cannot determine what messages the world around us will embrace next. But we can lean on God. His character has not changed. His Word is still true. His promises are still trustworthy.

That is also why being connected to the life of the church matters so much. In a world where we are constantly hearing different messages about what is true, what matters, and how we should live, we need something that continually brings us back to the truth of God's Word. I want to encourage you to join us in the ministries of our church. Especially on Sunday and Wednesday. You WILL find a steady, stable foundation here– come find relief in the heat of this world.

The weather may change. Our circumstances may change. The world around us will certainly continue to change. But through every season, God remains our refuge and strength.

From the shade of His arms,

William