ENCOURAGED in Every Season: Introduction (Part 1 of 12)

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Ecclesiastes 3:1,11

In our life in professional baseball, seasons have become a reoccurring theme for my family these past 25 years. Within those 25 seasons, a thousand ‘real-life’ mini-seasons have taken place below the surface within our everyday relationships, marriage, and parenting. And within those ‘real-life’ mini-seasons, much deeper—to the very depths of our souls—taking root in our hearts has been a transformation like no other, a season of salvation and sanctification where the authentic knowing of Jesus and self has taken and is taking place.

Within the process of these changing seasons of life, real heart change presents itself. It is during these seasons of our life stories where the true knowing of God Himself unfolds. As we learn to appreciate, look forward to, and embrace each new season, knowing Jesus and His heart is the rich reward awaiting us there.

We all need encouragement in every season of life. This need for encouragement is one similarity we all share. Each new season presents us with new challenges, expectations, and growth, in both the joys and trials. Some seasons are rich with new life, goals achieved, endless possibilities, insight, and joy; whereas, others are weighted down with loss, discouragement, disappointment, uncertainties, and sorrow. 

So presently, where does life find you? In what areas and ways do you need to be encouraged?

Wherever you may be planted in this season of your life, there is one truth that remains:

God is faithful in every season of our lives.

Although our seasons come and go, the character of God remains the same—faithful and true. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). His faithfulness is new every morning, no matter what your present season holds. “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:23). 

In every season, God lovingly chooses to reveal another facet of His character to us. He faithfully and beautifully redeems all of our time invested in each season, using each opportunity given as a means of training us up to fulfill our calling. Each moment of our lives in any season truly holds divine potential for the unfolding of its God-given purpose.

Although we cannot presume to know the depths of God’s intended purposes for our seasons, what are some of the evident results of the various seasons in our lives?

• Seasons grow us, profit us, benefit us, and challenge us.
• Seasons give us new opportunities to strengthen our faith and trust in the Lord.
• Seasons teach us new lessons which we can learn from and then share, impacting the lives of those around us.
• Seasons train us up and show us how to comfort, empathize, and extend compassion to others in their seasons of suffering and adversity.
• Seasons test us by stretching us beyond our comfort levels.
• Seasons produce fruit within our character, revealing the true motives of our hearts.
• Seasons help us to glean newly-revealed truths, as there is always something new to be learned. 
• Seasons realign our priorities, bringing order back into our lives, even amidst the chaos.
• Seasons gift us with a newly-gained perspective.
• Seasons serve as reminders of God’s sovereignty, affirming—beyond a shadow of a doubt—His complete control in our lives.

Ultimately, seasons reveal a different attribute of God’s character to us. In each new season, God desires to show Himself to us in a new way. He is either drawing us to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ or deepening our secure, grace-filled relationship with Him. Each season reminds us of our sole purpose in life—glorifying God in every season, situation, and relationship.

Each season is a gift, and the choice is ours for embracing and redeeming this time. Welcoming joyful seasons comes easily, whereas accepting and persevering seasons of suffering takes a divine grace and strength from Christ. However, in both, true joy and rich treasures of wisdom are to be found in every season.

If we choose to sidestep this time, laying aside the blessings of His moment-by-moment grace and His presence, we will forfeit a rich harvest of hidden truths and treasures which accompanies these precious times of brokenness and humility.

As you courageously and fearlessly take a step of faith in your present season, what blessings can you see falling down upon you as you look up to Him? 

We must remember that our present season will only last for a time, as shared in Ecclesiastes 3:1-14, and we should glean all we possibly can from our ‘in the middle’ moments. Our seasons are measured out, ordained, foreknown, measurable, and purposeful. Our Creator God sovereignly planned a time for everything. 

God has specific reasons for the seasons in our lives.

God purposes the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ for our seasons, and God’s faithfulness is our firm foundation for every season.  The circumstances of our present season beg us the question—will we trust God or trust in ourselves?

In this ENCOURAGED in Every Season series, I will be sharing 10 life applications (using the acrostic ENCOURAGED) to know your Faithful God in every season of your life and grow in your faith and relationship with Jesus as you joyfully embrace Him as your true Encourager and proclaim His faithfulness to others. I pray that you would hold on to the hope and peace found only in Christ and learn how to embrace whatever season you are presently in your life, bringing glory to Him.