I wonder if you can relate to some of the sentences below.

• You’re struggling with school and no matter how hard you study, you’re just not doing well enough.
• You’re stressed out at work and doing OT all the time, but someone else is getting the long-awaited promotion instead.
• You’ve made sacrifices to spend more time with your family, but no one’s grateful about it and more tension is building up instead.
• You’re in a relationship with someone but it feels like you’re not.
• Or you desire to be in a relationship, but there’s just no one available around you.

Life can really suck. And even as I write this … I’m feeling it.

Why does life just seem so difficult? And God, You want me to take ownership and give thanks amidst all these problems I never asked for? When will this striving ever cease?
One thing I’m learning is that our lives have seasons of waiting, darkness, and hopelessness. But there are also seasons of light breaking into darkness, immense bliss — fulfilled hopes.

Some seasons are harder for us to endure — we can’t wait to get out of these heavier moments. But in generally “good” seasons, we become comfortable and reluctant for change.

The simple truth is that seasons are good for us. Seasons help us to mark chapters in our lives. Seasons help us to make and adjust to transitions. Seasons help us to start afresh.

I was always looking forward to the next season in my life.

When I was younger, I looked forward to being an independent young adult — I couldn’t wait to get to make my own decisions.

But when I became a somewhat-independent young adult, I sometimes found my responsibilities too tiring to bear and I dreaded having to make decisions. I was always looking forward to the holidays for a break. Yet when the holidays came and passed, I was full of dread towards the next season.

I realised I was never content — regardless of the season I was in. At every turn I just refused to own the season God had placed me in.

Why was I so… unsettled?

The answer: I couldn’t see the purpose of my season.

My eyes weren’t fixed on what God had in store for me. They were fixed on what was directly in front of me. Refusing to take ownership of the season created a vicious cycle of unhappiness and discontentment. My eyes were always roving around for something “better” — something more.

But what we often don’t see is that every season we’re in is like the field which hides treasure (Matthew 13:44). We must buy the field.

There’s no guarantee that the field we’re to purchase will be beautiful — lined with fresh, fragrant wildflowers. Frankly, the field might turn out to look bleak and barren. But if we recognise that there’s a hidden treasure beneath the surface — everything changes.

That empty plot of unwanted land suddenly flows over with possibilities. It becomes something we can not only accept, but something we would sell everything off to buy.

Willing to receive what we would not typically want, this unwanted piece of field may be revealed to hide the treasures we need.

IF YOU’RE CURRENTLY IN A GOOD SEASON …

Well, good for you. Thank God when you’re doing well — but don’t get too comfortable. I’m not saying that to make you doubt His goodness.

It’s just, when we get too comfortable in our season, it can be very difficult for us to get up and move into our next season.

Beware the black hole of complacency. Complacency encourages the absolute minimum. It stops growth. It kills.

But maintaining a heart of gratitude reminds us that every blessing that we receive is from God. It helps to keep us on our toes, ready for the next season or task He assigns.

IF YOU’RE CURRENTLY IN A BAD SEASON …

It’s definitely easier for us to own our season and have a heart of gratitude when things are going smoothly and well. But how about when things seem too difficult to bear?

The secret lies in viewing gratitude as a posture and lifestyle independent of our current situation. Instead of being thankful for things, we should focus on being thankful in every circumstance.

There are seasons for growing and pruning, for celebrating and soaring. And there are seasons for grieving and mourning, for inactivity and reflecting.

But a spirit of gratitude transcends whatever season we are in. It surpasses disappointment, discouragement, and despair. It blooms and thrives just as beautifully in winter as it does in spring.
Gratitude helps us own our seasons. It enables us to see beyond our present circumstance, into the purpose of the season. It gives us eyes that are primed to look out for God in our lives.

Seasons will change, seasons will end.

When I understood that, and accepted that each season had its purpose for my life — I started to own my seasons.

And through it all, God’s steady love proves sufficient to sustain me. He remains sovereign over all.
Living becomes beautiful when you receive the season of life you’re in as a gift from God with gratitude.