What Autumn Teaches Us
I love fall! The minute I feel that slight chill in the air and I start seeing pumpkin everything, I can’t help but get excited. Sweaters, boots, chili, bonfires, apple cider--I love it all! But there’s something more significant about this season that draws me in every year. Fall can actually be a great reminder of God’s goodness, even in the toughest times.
Here are some things we can learn from autumn:
There will be hard seasons.
When God created the world, He also set the cycle of seasons into place. Ecclesiastes 3 reminds us that “there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Just like there is a time each year when the leaves fall from the trees and the air gets cooler, there is a time to mourn chapters that come to an end, whether we chose for them to or not.
There are moments when we have to say goodbye to parts of ourselves. We may need to end a toxic friendship or give up a dream we’ve been clinging to. There will be seasons when life seems extremely painful and overwhelming. Fall is a reminder that yes, those difficult times will happen, but they do not last forever.
The harvest is coming.
Similarly, fall is an example of how we can look forward to a harvest of blessings. Hebrews 12:11 says, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
Those painful times of change or growth can actually end up producing better fruit in us. Looking back, I realize that fall is often when I get thrown tough situations that test my character or I have to make hard decisions. At the time, it’s frustrating and I feel defeated, but I know now that those moments are slowly shaping me into more of who God wants me to be.
And ultimately, all the pain and earthly things of this life will pass away and we will get to rejoice in the harvest of Jesus coming back.
God’s goodness is evergreen.
Isaiah 40:8 says, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” The Lord is the one who turns the leaves brilliant shades of orange, red, and yellow. He is in control and yet, He calls us to know Him as a friend.
There is a unique intimacy I experience with God in autumn that I wouldn’t trade for anything. It’s through those hard seasons of change and cutting off what is no longer healthy that I hear from God on a deeper level. He pulls me close; He comforts me; He teaches me. And those moments stay with me long after autumn ends, allowing me to see His goodness in different ways throughout the rest of the year.
Fall is a time to recognize God’s sovereignty and be grateful for the blessings He has given us. It is a time to stop, breathe it in, and simply rest in His presence. So no matter what season of life you are in, let God pull you close this autumn. He desperately wants to grow you in wisdom and demonstrate His love for you.
In what ways do you see God during autumn?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Abigail is a 25-year-old freelance writer from Jackson, MS who earned her bachelor's degree in journalism and English from Mississippi College in 2015. She spends most of her time climbing ladders and recommending her favorite authors at Lemuria Books. You can read more of her writing at abbiewalker.com.