He has made everything beautiful in its time. Ecclesiastes 3:11a,NIV

(Feel free to read the entire passage from verse 1.)

 

Autumn is such an exciting season – a time of change, a beautiful dance of colours as the leaves turn from green to red, yellow, orange and brown. It’s as if nature itself is painting on a canvas of abundance, letting go and fulfilment. This multi-coloured display reminds us of the richness and depth of God’s creation, as well as the different seasons of our lives – each one unique, each with its own colour and meaning.

 

Ecclesiastes reminds us that there is a set time for everything – a time to plant and a time to harvest, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to keep and a time to let go. Autumn is such a time of letting go: trees shed their leaves and the busyness of summer makes way for calmness. But autumn is not dull or dead – it is colourful! It’s a picture of God’s grace that is present in every phase of life.

 

Just as nature changes without losing its value, autumn reminds us that change in our lives is not something to fear. God also works in the transitions – those times when we leave behind old seasons and don’t yet know what lies ahead. Autumn reminds us: God is faithful. His beauty can even be seen in the process of growing older. The multi-coloured leaves of autumn are a picture of hope – that there is beauty in every stage of life.

 

Think about Joseph’s coat of many colours (Genesis 37). Even though his life went through hardship, rejection and many changes, God used every “colour” of his life story to bring about a greater plan. In the same way, your life is a patchwork of seasons – each with a purpose, each woven by God’s hand.

 

Autumn invites us to learn to surrender, to trust the Lord in times of change and to recognise the colours of his presence in our own life stories – whether we are in a season of harvest or one of stillness.

 

Prayer: Lord, thank you that you use every season of my life for your glory. Help me to see your hand in the autumn of my life – in the change, in the letting go, in the colourful wisdom you bring. May I recognise your grace and presence in this season of my life, even when I don’t understand everything. Amen.