When Seasons Change

Change is in the air. Can you feel it coming? Even though the days remain warm, the evening brings with it a slight chill. Across the farm fields, the familiar green begins to turn yellow. At first, it’s barely perceptible, but then the soybeans transition into waves of undulating amber. The sun is lazy to rise in the morning and a bit hurried to set at day’s end. When seasons change, all these signs warn us of the transformation to come. Yet do we welcome this shift or does it always seem to catch us unaware?

For most of us, change doesn’t come easily. Whereas the transition between seasons may not phase us, ask us to change a habit or a personality trait and we resist with all our strength. Many of us seem comfortable with who we are and where we are in life. Why struggle through change if it’s not absolutely necessary?

By contrast, think about the plight of the caterpillar. What if it objected to change? On the surface, its life appears to be quite pleasant, eating plants all day and basking in the sunshine. Why choose to hide itself in a cocoon and leave all enjoyment behind? Nevertheless, instinct demands that it weave a tight covering around itself for metamorphosis to occur. When it’s ready to emerge, it must struggle to release itself from the bonds that hold it back. But then, a magnificent butterfly flutters forth. The old becomes new. What was once dull, transitions to glory.

Through much of life, we have little choice but to change like the caterpillar. Infants transform to toddlers and adolescents to adults at lightening speed. As parents we long to get out of the diaper stage then can’t believe it when all of a sudden the last child leaves for college. At times we try to push the pause button but life moves on whether we like it or not.

While staying the same may seem the safest and preferred course of action, lack of change leads to stagnation. Often circumstances such as a lay off, health issues or a financial crisis force us through painful transitions we would never choose for ourselves. None of us appreciate these challenges when they come our way. But through struggles, we grow. Even though God loves you as your caterpillar self, He doesn’t want you to remain in this form forever. He desires that we mature and develop into the beautiful butterflies He intends us to be all along.

Change is inevitable. Nevertheless, we do have a choice how we respond. Do we choose to ignore it, rail against it or accept it?Every stage and every transition hold both promises and pitfalls. When seasons change, be the one who accepts the metamorphosis as a gift from the One who sees the potential butterfly within every caterpillar.

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