When Your Season is Unexpected

I live in Los Angeles. One thing you find out quickly by living here is that seasons don’t really happen or at least they don’t happen like you’d expect. Growing up in Colorado the seasons were always very distinct and they happened when the calendar said they would.

We have this strange thing in LA where just as everyone (in places with seasons) slips into a cooler bit of autumnal weather our summer is heating up. It’s September 21st and it’s been in the 90s this week. Actually, it was 99 degrees on Sunday, which feels soooo much hotter when you think Fall is supposed to be arriving. It does this every fall. Now that I’ve lived here for 15 years, I know LA does this every fall. However, I still have to remind myself that this is normal for LA.

As I was thinking about how much I’m dying for it to feel like fall and to see changing leaves, it made me think about seasons in life. What do we do when we find ourselves in an unexpected season? What if we were expecting some peace and find our lives in upheaval? What if we thought we’d have a promotion but are still stuck in the same old job? What if we thought we’d be married but have a broken heart instead?

What does God say about the unexpected seasons?

Well, first of all, God is not surprised. He is not dumbfounded by the sudden change of events. He never predicts the future incorrectly. So if we find our expectations different from our reality, we should probably be checking in with Him. Sometimes our timing is different than His. It always works best to get on His clock.

However, unexpected seasons can suck. In my experience anyway. I don’t like having summer in fall. I don’t like having stress when I’d expected peace. I don’t like feeling stuck when I’m ready to move forward.

How about you? How do you deal with these unexpected seasons?

Here’s what I don’t want to do:

I don’t want to get cynical.

I don’t want to lose hope.

I don’t want to squeeze the life out of something good in my life, just to have control, when some other area feels out of control.

All of this means I have to really press into God. My Bible says:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Sounds like a pretty big difference! I have to trust that if I don’t understand something in my life, God does. AND He loves me enough to help me understand. He loves me enough to comfort me. He loves me enough to sit in the middle of the frustrating and heartbreaking with me.

God LOVES you!!! I feel like I say this in almost every post, but I feel like it needs to be said.

GOD LOVES YOU! GOD LOVES YOU! GOD LOVES YOU!

In every season, in every situation, God loves you. He is not mad at you. He does not want to hurt you. He does not delight in your misery.

He wants you to understand what your life is meant for. He wants you to feel His presence. He wants you to know His comfort. He wants to speak to you. He wants you to hear Him.

So, press in

If you don’t know how, ask for help. Respond to this post and I will encourage you! Reach out to a friend who seems to have some experience in feeling God’s love and find out what has worked for them. Find out how they discern the voice of God.

Read the Bible

This is God talking to His people. He put all kinds of answers in there that He knew we would need (before we knew we’d need them.) If you have a specific topic you want answers to, search for it. There are numerous topical indexes to aid in this type of search.

Pray with People

Find a friend (or two or ten) and pray together. Find the friends who pray passionately, who know that God is a God who answers prayer. Then, BELIEVE your prayers will work. Believe He listens and can give you peace, bring provision, shift impossible circumstances. Because He can! He wants to reveal himself to you in practical, tangible ways.

Think back on times when He has answered your prayers. He is faithful. You can trust in Him. If you don’t have times when he has answered your prayers, find someone who does have encouraging stories of God’s answered prayers. Let their stories of His faithfulness embolden you as you pray.

Know the Season Will Change

Nothing lasts forever – the good or the bad. Sometimes just knowing that can help us finish up the season we are in. Look for the change coming. Expect it to come with hope.

I love these verses. They help me to remember that times that feel bad are just part of the story, part of the journey. I haven’t failed. I’m just working through this journey the best I can.

So, I’ll try to enjoy the LONG summer I’m in. Will you please take pictures of your beautiful fall leaves and send them to me?