How to Embrace Every Season With Thankfulness
Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
– 1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV
As I gaze outside my window, I see the leaves changing color and falling, signaling that another season is upon us. I used to have a favorite season—one that seemed to fit my life’s rhythm best. But now, living in what feels like the winter of my life, I have grown to appreciate each one and am grateful for new beginnings and the lessons they bring.
I didn’t always have this attitude of gratefulness. I often struggled to hold on to ‘just one more’ day of summer, one more campfire, or one more tulip to bloom in the spring. I clung to what I knew, fearing what lay ahead.
But slowly, I have come to realize that God designed the seasons and intends for us to live fully through each of them. As Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us, “To everything, there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.” Each season has its unique purpose, and learning to be grateful in every season, not just for the easy ones, has been a journey of faith for me.
Seasons of the Heart: A Metaphor for Gratitude
Life moves in seasons, much like the changing landscape outside my window. Each season brings its own challenges and blessings. I’ve learned that gratitude is not just for the times when life feels bright and full; it’s for every season. I invite you to join me as we walk together through the seasons of our hearts, embracing each one with a thankful heart.
Spring: The Season of New Beginnings
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
– Isaiah 43:19, NIV
Spring is a time of renewal, growth, and fresh starts. Gratitude comes quickly, like the first blossoms after a long winter. For me, gratitude came easily in spring when everything felt new and full of possibilities. Gratitude in this season meant trusting that God was doing something new, even when the path ahead was unclear. It’s about being thankful for the growth that comes, however small or slow.
What new beginnings are happening in your life right now? How can you thank God for them, even when the path ahead seems unclear?
Summer: The Season of Abundance
The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.
– Psalm 24:1, ESV
Ah, summer! It’s a season of celebration and joy, a time when we see the fruits of our labor. I recall the summers I shared with my husband, where gratitude felt as natural as the sun on my face. I’ve learned to remember that every good and perfect gift comes from above (James 1:17). Gratitude in summer means enjoying our blessings while also sharing them with others.
What abundance are you currently experiencing, and how might you share it with someone else?
Autumn: The Season of Letting Go
Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you: he will never permit the righteous to be moved.
– Psalm 55:22, ESV
Autumn has always been a bittersweet season for me–a season of change. As the leaves turned and fell, I found myself having to let go of dreams, relationships, and, eventually, my husband. Gratitude in this season did not come easily.
As I watched his life slip away, I wrestled with God, wondering if I could trust Him through such sorrow. Yet, in the letting go, I found God was already there, preparing me for what was next. I am forever grateful for the scriptures I memorized as a child–words that cradled and comforted me during sleepless nights, whispering peace to my heart as I struggled to accept the changes.
What might God be asking you to let go of in this season, and how can gratitude help you release it?
Winter: The Season of Waiting
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.
– Psalm 37:7, ESV
Winter can feel long, dark, and cold. In this season of my life, I am waiting–sometimes in grief, sometimes in silence. Gratitude in winter has meant learning to be still before the Lord, trusting that He is at work even when I cannot see it. I am discovering that beneath the snow-covered landscape, something is growing. Like trees whose roots go deeper in winter, my faith, too, is deepening. I am learning to trust that, in the waiting, God is planting seeds that will blossom in His perfect time.
Where are you feeling the most ‘waiting’ in your life? How can you trust God is working beneath the surface?
An Invitation to Embrace Every Season
God remains constant through every season. He sees us in springtime, rejoices with us in summer, holds us through autumn, and sustains us in winter.
I invite you to walk with me through these seasons with a heart of gratitude. Gratitude isn’t just for the moments that feel good; it’s for all the moments because, in each one, we find the presence of a God who cares.
No matter which season you find yourself in today, remember we are to give thanks in all circumstances, knowing that our God is always at work, bringing beauty out of every season of our lives.
Meet Jackie Freeman
Jackie Freeman is a storyteller at heart, an educator, Bible teacher, and speaker who finds healing through the power of words. After the profound loss of her husband and parents, writing became a way for Jackie to navigate her grief and embrace an unexpected new chapter in her life.
Her devotional, Keep a Song in Your Heart, Musical Notes for Daily Devotions, reflects the wisdom of gospel songs she performed with her beloved mother, while her children’s picture book, I’m Okay, Momma! celebrates how her mother lived out the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
Jackie, an avid pickleball player, co-authored Bend Your Knees, Louise!, a book that invites readers of all ages to share in her love for America’s fastest-growing sport. Her passion for pickleball is infectious, and her book is a welcoming invitation to join the fun and excitement of the game. She is working on a pickleball devotional, The Parables of Pickleball: Inspiration On and Off the Pickleball Court, which will be available soon.
Her most recent project, A Journal for a JOYful Heart, spans the four seasons, offering readers a space to reflect and find joy throughout the year. Each journal is also accompanied by a Spotify playlist carefully selected to help quiet the mind and nurture the soul during each season.
Her latest creation is a journal series for every season, A Journal for a JOYful Heart. Each journal offers a unique blend of music accessible on Spotify and an opportunity for reflection. Jackie’s passion is encouraging women to stand firmly in God’s Word and embrace His will, no matter what season they are in.
Where to find her . . .
Begin Within is a series to inspire a year-round lifestyle of gratitude that will impact not only your own life, but the lives of your neighbors as well. Gratitude is a theme we talk about often around here because it ties so closely into other missional living rhythms. Practicing gratitude reminds to keep our hearts soft and expectant and our eyes open. Therefore, the more we embrace gratitude, the easier it becomes to truly see our neighbors and where we can join what God is already doing in our neighborhoods.
If you would like to contribute to Begin Within, you can find the submission guidelines here.
