Time, as we understand it, is a human construct. However, God’s timing and seasons are eternal, flowing beyond our calendars and the periodic motion of clocks. These seasons differ for everyone. January 1st doesn’t mark the beginning of something entirely new for everyone. Just as we were not all born on the same day, nor do we transform into new people overnight on December 31st. Rather, it signifies the continuation of our journey and the unfolding of a new season. We live in a cycle, a continuum, where each day is part of a greater plan God has already set in motion for us.
Recognizing Growth in Every Season
As we step into a new season or continue with our current one, it is essential to recognize that growth is not merely about achieving goals or reaching milestones. It is about the transformation that occurs within us as we navigate the ebbs and flows of life.
Assessing Your Season
Take stock of where you are as an independent individual—whether in a season of gaining, exponential growth, harvesting, losing, pruning, or preparation across all areas of life: spiritual, emotional, social, financial, and physical. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 reminds us that there is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens.
Avoiding Comparisons
Don’t let yourself be influenced by the seasons or declarations of others, including “men of God.” Avoid comparing or adopting what doesn’t align with your journey. Your path is uniquely yours—master it to sidestep frustrations and seize the opportunities meant for you. Make sure you don’t miss your own train.
Understanding Life’s Seasons
You may experience all seasons within a single calendar year, or they can stretch across two, three, or more years in the human calendar. Each moment, whether filled with joy or challenge, contributes to our understanding of purpose and meaning. Just as the seasons change in nature—each with its beauty and lessons—so too do the seasons of our lives invite us to reflect, adapt, and evolve.
Surrendering to God’s Plan—A Continual Process
Surrender does not mean giving up, discarding your past efforts, or failing to be intentional and desiring growth. Instead, it involves continuously yielding your will to God’s guidance, regardless of the circumstances you face. Whether you are experiencing struggles or moments of growth, God is always working in and through you, just as He has been all along. Surrender is not a one-time act; it is an ongoing invitation to trust that God’s plan is constantly active in your life.
James 4:13-15: “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are… Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’”
Think of a tree—its growth doesn’t stop on December 31st. It keeps growing through each season, each storm, and each period of dormancy. God’s plan for you is also unfolding naturally, season by season. Surrender means allowing your growth to be shaped by the rhythm of God’s time, not rushing it, not forcing it, but trusting that each stage is preparing you for the next while you thrive and enjoy every step. There’s no cutoff on December 31st, and no restart button. It’s an ongoing journey.
Release the burden of adhering to rigid timelines, limited expectations, or societal/social media pressures. Instead, cultivate patience and trust in the divine timing of your life. Just as a tree does not rush to grow, neither should you. Allow your heart to be open to the unfolding of God’s plan, knowing that you are exactly where you need to be in this moment.
Celebrate the small victories and the quiet progress, for they are the milestones that mark your path. And when you look back, you will see how far you have come, recognizing that each season, each challenge, and each triumph has shaped you into the person you are meant to be. Remember, the journey is not a race; it is a sacred adventure, rich with lessons and blessings, meant to be savored, one season at a time.
Does It Mean You Fail to Plan?
No, it doesn’t mean failing to plan. The idea is not about neglecting planning or setting intentions and goals, but rather recognizing that life is dynamic, and God’s timing often operates beyond our immediate control. It’s about finding a balance between planning with purpose and trusting the unfolding process, even when things don’t go according to the timeline we envisioned. Planning is important—it provides direction and structure—but the key here is to release the pressure to adhere strictly to societal expectations or arbitrary timelines. When you trust that you’re on the right path, you can plan with flexibility, understanding that some detours, delays, or challenges are part of the growth process. The journey becomes about growing and learning with each step, not only about reaching a destination by a set date.
Intentions Over Goals—Flexibility in Your Continued Journey
The truth is, that goals tied to dates can be limiting. They set us up for frustration if things don’t go according to plan. Instead of placing all your focus on rigid resolutions, make intentions that align with the ongoing work God is doing in your life. When you think of your intentions, remember that they are flexible, adaptable, and part of a process that stretches across time.
Scenario:
You may have set a goal last year to get better at managing your finances, but life happened, and you didn’t meet that goal. Instead of feeling like you failed, view it as a continuation of your financial journey. Maybe this season, you start small: setting intentions to learn more about budgeting, saving, and making wise decisions. Every small action contributes to the overarching progress of your financial health. You don’t need to force progress within a calendar year—trust that God is helping you build step-by-step, even when it seems slow.
Adapting to Who You Are in Every Season
Instead of conforming to a standard method or a goal that doesn’t suit your nature, adapt the process of growth to fit your personality and current reality. This continued season is not about forcing yourself into someone else’s mold, but about embracing the unique way God has wired you. Your pace, style, and path are as unique as the seasons themselves.
Equipping Yourself with Faith and Action—Not a New Start, But a New Step
You don’t need a “fresh start” to begin trusting God’s plan. Every day is a continuation of your faith journey, and each step is a new opportunity to act in faith, not in fear. God has already equipped you with everything you need, but it’s up to you to take that action with trust in His timing.
Scenario:
Think about a long-distance runner. The race isn’t reset each time they run—it’s a continuous stretch of effort, built on their past training. Each step is a continuation of their previous strides. So it is with your faith. Each day, you’re stepping further into the victory God has already won for you. Whether the day is filled with peace or struggle, it’s part of the same race. And God is with you every step of the way.
Prioritizing Growth Over Outcomes—A Journey of Continuous Transformation
In life, we often look at the end result to measure success—the final product, the numbers, the accolades. But in a season of growth, the true growth isn’t always measured by the final outcome. It’s about how you navigate the journey, how you grow in the process, and the choices you make along the way.
The true essence of your hard work reveals itself through the choices you make during the peaks and valleys of the season, rather than solely at its conclusion. It is reflected in your interactions with others, in the manner you handle unexpected challenges, and in the grace you exhibit when faced with adversity. It is also evident in the serenity and understanding you embody when confronted with uncertainty, showcasing the depth of your patience and the strength of your humility, especially at times when the answers seem just out of reach.
Patience, humility, forgiveness, and resilience are some of the less visible qualities that develop during life’s journey. The real transformation occurs through the challenges you face, the lessons you learn, and the character you build from day-to-day situations. It is in those moments when you choose to be patient instead of rushing, to forgive instead of holding a grudge, and to learn instead of giving up that true growth happens.
The fruit is being formed in your choices and responses every day. It’s the small, consistent acts of growth that build up over time, not just the result at the end. As you move through this season, acknowledge the fruit being developed in the in-between, as it’s often in these moments that your true transformation occurs.
Alignment, Not Perfection
Embracing Alignment
Rather than holding ourselves to an unattainable standard of perfection, we can focus on being aligned—aligned with our values, our goals, and our inner selves. This means recognizing that it’s okay to falter, to redefine success, and to celebrate small victories. It’s about showing up authentically, allowing ourselves to be vulnerable, and understanding that each stumble offers a lesson in resilience.
Release the weight of perfectionism that can stifle your spirits. Instead, together, cultivate patience and compassion, both for ourselves and for others. By choosing alignment, we honor our unique paths, acknowledging that life is less about the destination and more about the richness of the journey. In this way, you unfurl your wings, ready to soar not as flawless beings but as beautifully complex individuals, wholeheartedly embracing the waves of life made brighter through every imperfect splash.
It’s not about hitting every note perfectly. It’s about staying in rhythm with the flow of the song, even if you miss a note here or there.
Expecting Bumps in Every Season: It’s Not a Smooth Ride
Life’s Challenges and Growth
Life is never a straight path. Commanding the year in Jesus’ name doesn’t promise an absence of struggles. If you think about it, praying for a life without bumps could mean settling for mediocrity. A smooth journey could lead to smugness. Instead, pray for wisdom, strength, and the skills to navigate obstacles. By doing so, you’ll experience growth and expansion, discover your strengths, and build resilience and capabilities that only emerge through overcoming difficulties.
Embrace the challenges, for they sharpen your character and deepen your faith. It is in the fire of adversity that you find your true mettle. Consider the stories of great leaders and inspiring figures throughout history—they did not rise to prominence in comfort but through trial and tribulation.
Facing New Seasons
Face each new season with the assurance that the struggles you encounter will not hinder your progress but rather catapult you into your destiny. In the journey of life, it’s not about how smooth the ride is, but how skillfully you navigate its twists and turns, with faith as your compass and determination as your guide.
Whether you’re starting something new, working toward a goal, or navigating a change, there will always be bumps along the way. The unexpected obstacles challenge your progress. Bumps can come in many forms: a project delay, an unexpected conflict at work, mistakes of poor micro-decisions, financial setbacks, or a health issue disrupting your routine. Personal development can stall due to a loss of motivation, while relationships might face tension or misunderstandings. Educational challenges, like poor grades or missed opportunities, can also arise, along with entrepreneurial obstacles such as competition or cash flow problems. Additionally, natural disasters like droughts, floods, and fires, or external factors like political hiccups, can shake your plans. These bumps are part of life, testing your resilience and how you adapt to setbacks.
It’s important to anticipate these hurdles instead of being surprised or defeated when they appear. Also, focus on developing your resilience skills.
Lessons in Resilience
For instance, let’s say you’re embarking on a personal growth journey. You’ve set your intentions and are motivated to improve, but there are moments of frustration—maybe you face setbacks in your health, career, or relationships. You might find yourself questioning whether you’re on the right path, or if it’s worth continuing.
These bumps are not signs that you’ve failed; they are part of the process. Understand this truth early on: growth is not linear, and seasons of change come with highs and lows. The real question is: How will you handle these bumps when they come?
Instead of viewing the bumps as roadblocks, try to see them as stepping stones. How you manage these moments—whether you choose to be patient, stay focused, or seek support—will shape your growth. If you resist the urge to let these bumps knock you off course, you’ll find that each challenge brings new wisdom, resilience, compassion, emotional intelligence, and patience that you didn’t have before.
The Seasons of Life
Winter: A Time for Rest
In the quiet of winter, we may find ourselves in a period of rest and introspection. It is a time to cultivate patience, to nurture the seeds of hope that lie dormant within us, waiting for the warmth of spring to coax them into bloom. This season teaches us that not all growth is visible; some of the most significant changes occur beneath the surface, in the depths of our souls and minds.
Spring: Renewal and Rebirth
As spring arrives, we are reminded of renewal and rebirth. It is a season of blossoming potential, where the fruits of our labor begin to emerge. Here, we learn that our efforts, though sometimes unseen, are not in vain. The path to fulfillment is often winding, filled with detours and unexpected turns. Yet, it is in these moments of uncertainty that we can discover resilience, creativity, and the courage to embrace the unknown.
Summer: Abundance and Action
Summer follows, bringing with it a time of abundance and celebration. Summer in human life/season symbolizes a period of abundance, growth, and opportunity—a time when the seeds you’ve planted in earlier seasons begin to blossom. It’s a season of vibrant energy, where the fruits of your hard work become visible, relationships deepen, and life feels alive with possibility and purpose.
Yet, summer isn’t just about enjoying the sunshine of success; it’s also a time to be intentional. The warmth of abundance can tempt you to become complacent, prideful, or spendthrift, while the hustle and bustle can lead to burnout if not managed wisely.
This season challenges you to balance joy with discipline, encouraging thoughtful choices that preserve and nurture your progress. In this flourishing season, growth is found not only in the harvest but also in how you tend to your garden.
How you handle abundance, maintain humility, foster gratitude and kindness, and prepare for inevitable shifts will determine the sustainability of your success. Summer reminds us that while the fruits are sweet, they come with responsibility.
Cherish the blessings, learn from the abundance, and let this season of action prepare you for the cycles to come.
Autumn: Letting Go
Autumn reminds us of the importance of pruning and preparing. Just as the trees shed their leaves, this is a time to let go of what no longer serves you—old habits, unhelpful mindsets, or relationships that drain rather than nourish. It’s a season to evaluate your life with intention, keeping what is essential and releasing the rest to create space for what’s next.
In the crisp air of autumn, there is beauty in both the bounty and the barrenness. It is a time of transition, where one chapter begins to close, and the groundwork is laid for the next. How you respond to this change—whether with fear or faith, resistance or acceptance, hope or despair—will shape the strength you carry into the next season.
Autumn teaches that success is not just about abundance; it is also about character, wisdom (spiritual, emotional, and intellectual), preparation, and trusting that what you release will make way for new and great opportunities ahead.
Moving Forward
So, as you move forward in any season, be well-prepared for the bumps. They’re not signs that you’re off track—they’re part of the journey, teaching you how to handle life’s unpredictability and strengthening you for what’s ahead. Expect the challenges, embrace the lessons, and keep moving forward.
Growth Through Challenges
In conclusion, you may not tick all the boxes of traditional “resolutions/declarations,” but it’s the growth in between that truly matters. The real measure of progress lies not in flawless execution but in how you navigate challenges, learn from setbacks, and keep moving forward with purpose. Embrace the lessons, the patience, and the wisdom gained through each season, knowing that every step—whether smooth or bumpy—is shaping you into the person you’re becoming.
Trust God, trust the process, and trust the journey, and watch as your transformation unfolds, even when the results aren’t immediately visible.
Final Thought: The Continuation of Time, The Continuation of You
As you enter this new season or continue in your current one, remember that it is not a complete break from the past but rather a continuation of God’s work in your life. Time moves forward, and so do you. God is not limited by our timelines; He is actively working in every season, moment, and circumstance.
Embrace this ongoing period of growth, understanding that each day, every choice, every victory, as well as every pain and prayer, is part of a greater purpose that unfolds in God’s perfect timing.
Let go of the idea of a hard reset. This season is not about starting anew but continuing faithfully on the path He has already set for you. Trust the process, align with God’s timing and will, and watch how He transforms you. And when everything seems not to work—when plans fall apart, and the way forward feels unclear—remember that His purpose is still unfolding. Stay rooted in faith, for it is often in those moments of uncertainty that God shapes the most meaningful growth.
Don’t be hard on yourself for the things that didn’t go as planned in the past season. Mistakes, setbacks, and missed opportunities are a natural part of life’s journey. Instead of dwelling on what went wrong, shift your focus to the lessons learned and the growth that came from those experiences. Every season, whether full of success or struggle, contributes to shaping you into the person you’re meant to be.
Regret can be a heavy burden, but it doesn’t define your future. Embrace where you are now, knowing that each step—even those that felt like failures—has added value to your story. You are not the mistakes you’ve made; you are the wisdom you’ve gained from them, the strength you’ve built, and the resilience you carry forward. In the grand scheme of life, the past is just one chapter. The beauty of a new season is that it offers you a fresh start, built on the foundation of everything you’ve learned along the way.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
I surrender to Your plan for my life, trusting that You know the desires of my heart. Guide me in my thoughts and actions. May I take Your blessings with gratitude and humility.
Give me strength to face the challenges ahead. Calm my anxieties and fill me with peace. Grant me wisdom and discernment. Renew my hope and grow my faith.
I trust in Your perfect timing as I journey through this season. Help me see Your purpose in every moment. When the way seems unclear, remind me that You are always guiding me and that my trust in You will never be in vain.
In Your hands, I place my soul and my future, knowing You will lead me to the fruitful life You’ve promised.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Hey, I’m Angeline, your RN and founder of Finally Am Found. With a heart for mentorship, I’ve been guiding teens and young adults since 2017. As a Registered Nurse, I blend medical expertise with personal experiences to create a Christ-aligned space for self-discovery. Connect with Angeline on Facebook and let the journey to self-discovery begin!
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