Changing of Seasons

Growing up in northern Maine, preparing for winter began in September. It wasn’t uncommon to have frost by the middle of the month. We knew winter was coming, so preparation started long before the first significant snowfall.

Fall was an important season in our family because it meant preparing for the hunt. Turkey, deer, bear, moose—we prepared for each season. We also worked to catch as many fish as possible. The goal was to put enough away for the months ahead.

We learned something very simple:

You prepare in one season for what you will need in the next.

Looking back, I see a spiritual principle in that.

There are times when God begins to shift the seasons of our lives. Sometimes the change is obvious. Other times, you can sense it before you can see it.

There is a stirring in your spirit.

A holy restlessness.

A growing awareness that something is changing.

God begins to awaken things that have been dormant. He calls us deeper into prayer. He exposes things that need to be surrendered. He strengthens our foundations. He brings people into our lives. He gives us new vision and fresh hunger.

The season is changing.

And when the season changes, what worked in the previous season may not be sufficient for the next one.

This is why preparation matters.

There Is a Time to Prepare

The sons of Issachar were commended because they understood the times and knew what Israel should do.

“They understood the times and knew what Israel should do.”
— 1 Chronicles 12:32

There is a difference between simply experiencing a season and discerning a season.

God doesn't want us merely reacting to what happens around us. He wants us listening to what He is saying and responding to what He is doing.

Perhaps God has been preparing you without you fully realizing it.

The trials you've walked through.

The prayers that seemed unanswered.

The doors that closed.

The relationships that changed.

The things God asked you to surrender.

The hunger for His Word.

The desire to pray.

The uncomfortable places where He has been confronting your heart.

Maybe these weren't interruptions.

Maybe they were preparation.

Don't Waste the Preparation

When I was growing up, nobody waited until the snow was three feet deep before thinking about winter.

We prepared ahead of time.

We filled the freezer.

We gathered what we needed.

We made sure the house was ready.

We understood that what we did in the fall would affect how we experienced the winter.

Spiritually, there are things God may be asking you to put in place now because of what is coming next.

Build the prayer life now.

Get into the Word now.

Forgive now.

Deal with the hidden things now.

Strengthen your marriage now.

Invest in your family now.

Build godly relationships now.

Get your house in order now.

Don't wait until the pressure comes to develop the faith you'll need under pressure.

The Changing Season May Require a Changing Pace

Ecclesiastes reminds us that there is a time and season for everything under heaven.

Some seasons are for planting.

Some are for harvesting.

Some are for building.

Some are for pruning.

Some are for resting.

Some are for advancing.

And sometimes the greatest mistake we can make is trying to remain in a season God is moving us out of.

There are things you did in the last season that were necessary then but may not be necessary now.

There are things God is asking you to release.

There are things He is asking you to pick up.

There are places He is asking you to go.

There are people He is asking you to reach.

The changing of a season is often accompanied by the changing of our assignment.

Pay Attention to the Frost

I remember the first frost of the year.

It was a signal.

It told us something was coming.

We didn't panic when we saw it.

We prepared.

Perhaps there are "frosts" appearing in your life right now—small signs that something is changing.

Don't ignore them.

Pay attention to what the Holy Spirit is highlighting.

Pay attention to what He is stirring.

Pay attention to the doors He is opening and the ones He is closing.

Pay attention to the hunger He is creating.

Pay attention to the people He is bringing into your life.

Pay attention to the things He is asking you to lay down.

The signs of transition often appear before the reality of the new season does.

A Prophetic Encouragement

I believe there are seasons when God begins preparing His people for something they cannot yet see.

What feels like pruning may actually be preparation.

What feels like delay may be development.

What feels like hiddenness may be God building something beneath the surface.

And what feels like an ending may actually be the beginning of a new assignment.

Don't despise the preparation season.

God is not wasting it.

He is forming you.

He is strengthening you.

He is deepening you.

He is making room in you for what He intends to pour through you.

The question is not simply, “What is God bringing?”

The question is:

“Who do I need to become to steward what God is bringing?”

Winter will eventually come.

But the wise prepare while it is still fall.

And I believe the Spirit is saying to His people:

“Recognize the season. Pay attention to My voice. Prepare your heart. Strengthen your foundations. Store My Word within you. Get your house in order. Something is changing.”

The season is changing.

Prepare now for what God is bringing next.

Prayer

Father, give me discernment to recognize the season I am in and wisdom to prepare for the season that is coming. Help me not to resist what You are doing or cling to what You are asking me to release. Prepare my heart, strengthen my faith, order my life, and make me ready for whatever You have entrusted to me. Let me hear Your voice clearly and respond with obedience. If You are shifting the season, shift me with it. In Jesus' name, amen.