The Seasons of the Spiritual Life
- Lauren
- May 16
- 3 min read
“Our steps are made firm by the Lord when he delights in our way; though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, for the Lord holds us by the hand.” - Psalm 37:23-24, emphasis added
The spiritual life can be likened to the seasons. In life, the path will not always be straightforward. Walking with the Lord involves challenges that are like steep, snowy hikes. Our journeys with God also involve times of peace that are like relaxing warm strolls by the sea. This idea of seasonality and spirituality was first introduced to me in college by a campus minister. It has stuck with me ever since.
Spring – Right now, it is May, and we are in the middle of spring. Springtime in the spiritual life can be seen as a joyful time. These are times where prayer comes easily, there are not many challenges that demand heavy mental lifting. Spring is also a time of new growth. This may be a time where you find yourself growing spiritually. The varying temperatures and beauty of spring can be likened to the gentle times of life, where relationship with God is going very well.
Summer – In the summertime of our souls, we find ourselves in constant communion with God. There is much life, warmth, and sunshine to remind us of God’s love for us. This is a time where things are truly going our way. God may have blessed this time in your life with the things you asked for. Life is warm, bright, and full of God’s peace.
Fall – While fall is my favorite season because of the colors, fall in the spiritual life is a time of change. It is potentially a time of dying to ourselves, like the leaves die each autumn. God may be challenging you in this time. There may be a big change upcoming in your life, that demands that you alter your prayer routine. Maybe this is a time where you feel a little down inside. As the leaves change outside and the beautiful summer flowers die, you may find yourself spiritually down. Fall in the spiritual life is when change is happening, and the walk with Jesus may feel like a winding path in the forest.
Winter – In the coldness of winter, we can be reminded of the darker times in life. Winter in the spiritual life feels like a time of spiritual desolation. Life may feel like trudging through the snow and your heart may have grown cold to the Father’s voice. A spiritual winter is a tough time. We all go through these times; it is part of the human experience. However, even though you may feel like God isn’t with you in this time, He is.
When you consider the seasons of the spiritual life, you may resonate with the above scenarios, or you may feel completely differently. Maybe winter is your spiritual wonderland. The quiet snow falling may signal a time of peace and reflection. Or summer may be your dry, difficult desert. Jesus spent 40 days in the hot desert, where he was tempted by the devil (Mk 1:12-13). The spiritual seasons are unique to each individual.
In my own life, I find both challenges and blessings in all four seasons. Fall is my favorite season because of the changing colors, yet September was the month that my twin brother passed away. And I love the beauty of spring, but I struggle physically because of seasonal allergies! The beauty of the spiritual life, is that each season teaches us something. God calls us to persist in faith in each season. And, “. . . though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, for the Lord holds us by the hand” (Psalm 37:24, emphasis added).
In Christ,
Lauren
All scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible
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