Holding God at the Centre of Every Season

I had the privilege of preaching at a family conference in Hamilton, Ontario. It was a blessing to stand alongside two other preachers, each addressing different but deeply connected realities of life. I preached on grief. Another pastor spoke on trauma and crisis. The final message focused on transitional seasons. Though the subjects varied, the theme was drawn from Ecclesiastes 3 — a reminder that life is full of seasons.

Seasons do not ask our permission. They come and go. There are seasons of joy and seasons of heartbreak. Seasons of stability and seasons of upheaval. Solomon lists them plainly: a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance. Our lives are constantly changing, and often we feel unprepared for what the next season brings. Grief can shake us. Crisis can unsettle us. Transitions can leave us uncertain.

But the real danger is not the changing seasons — it is allowing God to drift from the centre of our lives during those transitional times. When God is not central, change becomes devastating. Grief becomes despair. Crisis becomes panic. Transition becomes confusion. However, when God remains first, seasons become sacred opportunities to trust Him more deeply.

Solomon closes Ecclesiastes with these words: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

The stability of life is not found in controlling our circumstances but in looking to the Lord who controls the seasons. When we fear God and walk in obedience, every season — even the hardest — becomes a pathway to deeper faith.