A Season of Change
Spring is a reminder that God is all about making things new. He even promises in the book of Revelation to make everything new one day. As believers, we trust that this day will come. But for now, we are to make the most of the life God has given to us. We will go through many seasons throughout this lifetime. The most obvious examples of this are the yearly seasons of winter, spring, summer and fall. As we approach the upcoming spring, I am reminded of this verse from the Song of Solomon, “For behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appears on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.” 2:11-12
Spring is a time for new life and new beginnings. The grass begins to grow, the flowers start to bloom, and trees come alive again. We may have warm sunny days, or days of showers and puddles. We may enjoy the sunny days more than the rainy ones, but both are necessary for things to grow. New life must be nurtured, whether it is the growing grass or a young child. One of the verses I most relate to the season of spring is this, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) Spring brings with it new hope and joy.
While spring is a season we all encounter each year, the journey of caring for someone with special needs is full of its own seasons. We may experience seasons of hope and joy. We may also experience some seasons of stress and never-ending appointments. There may be seasons where we watch a child flourish and grow in many skills. Likewise, we see seasons where there is no or very little progress. The Bible tells us there is a purpose and reason for every season. This popular verse comes to mind:
“For everything, there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.
God has a plan and a purpose for every season of our lives, even the hardest ones. My greatest time of growth in my faith and relationship with the Lord came just after the most difficult period in my life. I could not see the purpose of my pain while I was going through that experience. But I have learned now that God was with me all along, and He used that suffering to grow me. I now have the opportunity to help others using the knowledge I gained back then. Likewise, a family caring for their child with special needs can learn to see the blessings of the experience with God’s help. They may even have an opportunity to bless others by sharing all they have learned. God will not let our difficulties go to waste.
A new season will always come, and bring with it new life and new hope. This was true in my life, and it will be so for your family. I believe the beginning of spring is a wonderful time to thank God for all the seasons we have endured; and to praise Him for the beautiful seasons yet to come.
Michelle Carter
SE Ministry Coordinator