This time of year can be really tough for some people. Maybe you are one of them!
You may have loved the season of autumn and all that it brought: the beautiful changing leaves and their colors, the crisp days, pumpkin-spice everything, and football. Autumn is the precursor to winter and Christmas, which is a season full of busyness, decorations, gatherings. A season in which we go-go-go. During the Christmas season we enjoy the thought of snow, sweaters, and curling up by the fire. We look forward to special church services and connecting with people we haven’t seen in a while.
But after all of that, many people struggle with the months we find ourselves in now. We don’t see sunshine regularly and we find ourselves indoors more - and exercising much less. The days are shorter, temperatures drop, and illnesses seem to constantly surround us. The grass in our yards is brown and dormant, the leaves absent from the trees. We yearn for sunshine, to see color again in nature, and to feel warmer temperatures. This time of year can seem l-o-n-g and as if spring will never arrive.
But Isaiah 40:8 tells us:
“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”
As much as we yearn for springtime - to see the beauty of the flowers, to see the green grass, to feel the warmth of the sun on our skin - we know those things are fleeting and of this world. But the Lord gave us something that is constant, something that will never pass: He gave us His Word.
God’s Word and His promises never change like the seasons, never wither like the flowers, never fall like the temperatures, and never die as the fall leaves do. God’s Word and its truth stand forever. It promises that no matter what happens in this world, He will be with us and we can trust in Him. While He gives us our earthly home, God’s Word teaches us that He is the one who can truly satisfy our hearts - not the seasons, temperatures, or the sun.
If you find yourself feeling discouraged, this time of the year or whenever, find comfort and encouragement in His Word.