An Interweaving of the Seasons of the Spiritual Life

While the seasons of the spiritual life are a great tool to help us discern what is happening in our soul at any given-time period, it is important to know that they are just a tool.  As we read through the descriptions of the seasons, we might find ourselves resonating with one season in particular, but we might also find that other seasons seem to describe what is happening in our soul at this time.  If this is the case, there is nothing unusual about this.

It is never quite possible for us to fully understand the different ways that God is working within each one of us as He forms us into His likeness and draws us into intimacy with Him.  There is always a bit of a mystery about this.  Nevertheless, we do the best we can.  Identifying the season of the spiritual life we are inhabiting is one way we try to do this, and this can be very helpful, but it does not explain everything.

It seems quite common for many of us that we experience multiple seasons at the same time.  There is an interweaving of the seasons.   For example, we may be experiencing an Autumn season of releasing and repenting while simultaneously experiencing a Spring season of renewing and fruitfulness.  In fact, these two movements are simultaneously happening in our soul and are very much working together, i.e., a current practice of releasing our firmly held identities, sins, and attachments over to the Lord might be what is allowing us to be more fruitful in our relationships, vocation, and ministries at this time.

So as we use this tool, we don’t try to squeeze ourselves into one box.  Rather, we remain open to whatever God is doing in our lives, which may or may not fit in with the descriptions I have provided for each season.  Our ultimate goal is to be self-reflective – to understand as best we can what God is doing in our lives at the moment so that we can best respond to Him in a posture of love and thanksgiving.