Those who know me will agree I’m a bit strange. It’s raining today here in beautiful northern Michigan. I love rain. I love sunshine too but I also enjoy thunder and lightning, high winds and even snowdrifts and the bitter cold of deep winter. The chill of winter makes a spot by the wood stove quite enjoyable, you should try it sometime.
Tomorrow is the first day of autumn and here in the North Country we’ve been feeling its arrival in the air the last few days. Cool crisp mornings have been here now for over a week. Even some of our maple trees have allowed a few leaves at the tips of the branches to turn a rusty red or harvest yellow.
I love the change of seasons. Autumn is one of my favorite season changes because of the arrival of cool weather and the relief it brings after some of the heat that summer delivered. But this summer at Higgins Lake has been quite pleasant and I’ve thought to myself more than once how wonderful it would be if every day’s weather could be like some of the days we’ve enjoyed.
The seasons of life can tempt us to resist change as well. At times we experience a season in life that fills us with joy and warmth. We could easily be tempted in the pleasant seasons of life to wish all our days could be as wonderful as those. But God uses the seasons of our lives. He brings the change. God uses the seasons of life to mold and strengthen us for His honor and glory. He may allow a season of difficulty in our lives to teach us how to depend on God. There may be a season of plenty that God will use to demonstrate His gracious provision.
Whatever the season of life you are in right now be thankful for the change of seasons you’ve experienced and the ones God has prepared for you in the days ahead. Don’t resist those changes for as the Lord declared to Israel, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope (Jer. 29:11 ESV)”, the Lord plans for those who follow Him welfare and not evil.