THROUGH THE SEASONS

“Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” —Jeremiah 17:7, 8

One of the most overused metaphors for our human experience of life and faith is that of a journey. We have our personal journeys, educational journeys, vocational journeys, emotional journeys, and spiritual journeys. We are told that our most significant journeys of self-discovery often come in the form of literal journeys to places of history, heritage, or spiritual significance. Many of us are taught, or absorb from the culture around us, an expectation of change and travel, and we experience a growing sense of restlessness if we remain in the same place for too long. This image from Jeremiah, however, seems to present a better image of what it means to grow, flourish, and endure during the changing seasons of our lives.

Living well requires a strong foundation of meaning and purpose, and while it is not always possible, it seems to work best when we have roots that grow ever deeper into place, community, and conviction. But this does not mean we are unchanging.

Indeed, rootedness provides the possibility of growth and change. A healthy tree is always changing, growing taller, wider, thicker, deeper.

If it stops, it begins to decline and decay.

However, there are also seasons in our lives.

These are both predictable and fickle.

Some summer days are pleasant; others are ferocious.

But the seasons follow each other in turn. In each of these times, there are things to learn and opportunities to grow, difficulties to endure, and wonders to find.

And after each, we will be changed.

Whatever the season, the key to growing unafraid is roots that grow ever deeper in trust and confidence in God.