Trusting God in Every Season

“God has made everything beautiful for its own time.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NLT)

In life, there are mountain-top moments and valley experiences. There are successes and failures, celebrations and disappointments, victories and losses. Some seasons of life feel exciting and full of possibility, while others feel painful, confusing, or even hopeless.

Just like the seasons of the year, our lives go through seasons, too. The difference is that while there are four seasons on the calendar, there can be dozens of different seasons throughout your lifetime.

In Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, King Solomon reminds us that every season has its purpose: “For everything there is a season, 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…” (NLT).

There is a time for beginnings and endings. A time for building and a time for letting go. A time for celebration and a time for grief.

And here’s something important to remember: You can be in God’s will in every season of your life.

Sometimes we mistakenly think we’re only doing God’s will when we’re at church, reading our Bibles, praying, or serving in some obvious ministry. But you can be right in the middle of God’s will while cleaning out a closet, mowing the lawn, raising your kids, going to work, moving to a new place, or simply staying right where you are.

He is present in every season.

God can use both the good and difficult seasons of your life to shape you, strengthen you, teach you, and draw you closer to him.

But notice what Ecclesiastes 3:11 actually says: “God has made everything beautiful for its own time.”

That’s very different from saying, “Everything is beautiful in its own way.” Everything is not beautiful.

Cancer is not beautiful. Child abuse is not beautiful. War is not beautiful. Betrayal, loss, addiction, injustice, and broken relationships are not beautiful.

The Bible isn't asking us to pretend that painful things are good. Instead, it gives us a much more hopeful promise: God can take what is broken and, in his time, bring something beautiful from it.

Maybe you're in a season right now that doesn't feel beautiful at all.

Your finances look ugly.

Your health looks ugly.

Your marriage or friendship looks ugly.

Your future looks uncertain.

Your circumstances don't look anything like you hoped they would.

But your current season is not the end of the story. By nature… seasons come to an end. And, you may not be able to see what God is doing yet. You may not understand why you're walking through this particular season. But you can trust the One who does.

God can take the ugly pieces of your life and use them for something beautiful. He can take your pain and use it to develop compassion. He can take your failures and use them to teach you wisdom. He can take seasons of waiting and use them to deepen your faith.

You don't have to understand your season to trust God in it.

So if you're walking through a difficult season today, don't give up. Seasons end. Don't assume God has forgotten you. And don't mistake a painful season for a purposeless one.

Keep trusting. Keep following. Keep believing.

Because the God who is with you in the valley is the same God who will lead you to the next season.