My annual devotional this year is Experiencing God By Henry Blackaby.  As I mentioned a few posts back I wanted to be more consistent this year.  I’m not 100%, but I’m doing better than 0%.  Since I woke up too late to read this morning, I pulled the daily reading up on the books’ website during a quick break at work.  I thought it was really good, so I’m going post it here.  Enjoy!

Life’s Seasons

To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

The beauty in the way God designed the four seasons is that, though each one is distinct, they all work together to bring life and growth. Spring is a period of freshness and new life. Summer sees growth and productivity. Autumn is a time for harvesting the rewards of past labors. Winter is the season of dormancy and closure. Each season has its own unique beauty and makes a significant contribution to life.

Just as God planned seasons in nature, He planned seasons in life as well. Life has its springtime, when we begin new things and look excitedly toward the future. Summer comes and we work diligently in the heat of the day at all that God has assigned to us. With autumn comes the fruition of things begun at an earlier time in our lives. Winter brings an end to a particular period in our lives. Sometimes winter brings hardship, but we remain hopeful, for another spring is just around the corner!

In God’s perfect design for our lives, He has planned for times of fruitfulness and activity. He will also build in times of quiet and rest. There will be times when He asks us to remain faithful doing the same work day after day. But there will also be periods of excitement and new beginnings. By God’s grace, we will enjoy seasons of harvesting the fruit of our faithfulness. By God’s grace we will also overcome the cold winters of heartache and grief, for without winter there would be no spring. Just as it is with the seasons of nature, these seasons in our lives work together to bring about God’s perfect will for each one of us.

 Father, I do not know exactly where I stand today…I’m inclined to say winter. 
Please open my eyes to your purposes and your hand, despite all that has kept me down. 
Lord, place in me a new song…
and bring about a newness and freshness…joy. 
Abba, take my hand and guide me…please wash away my fears and help me to trust in you.