No matter what season of life you are in, you’ll find more contentment if you learn to embrace the present instead of yearning for the future.
“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.” (Eccl. 3:1).
Not only do seasons happen with our climate, they also happen in our lives. At certain times of our life we are in school.
Other times we are newlyweds. Later we’ll be in retirement. It is very normal and very right that we experience certain things at certain times.
What's in this post...
Motherhood is a season of life
Motherhood is a season of life for sure. Not only is motherhood a season of life, but there are seasons within motherhood as well.
There are seasons of diapers, seasons of times tables, and seasons of ball games. There are even seasons of being a tired mom. Soon enough, there are seasons where we’ll adapt to an empty nest.
Knowing our season and living it to the fullest will help us see above the daily grind. It will give us the perspective that we sometimes lack when we’re in the thick of it.
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First, let’s talk about the importance of embracing each season…
What embracing your season of life will do for you
As a mom, one of the most beneficial things we can teach our children is to be content in the situation at hand. I tell my kids, “you’re strength shows when you are content in every situation.”
How often is that true for us as well?
Embracing the season of life you’re in will benefit you in many ways! Here are a few..
1. You’ll know when and when not to plant
Depending on what you are growing, there are seasons to plant and seasons to harvest. For example, if you try to plant certain foods in the winter the cold temperatures will either prevent their growth entirely or kill them.
- When you are staying at home with 3 children under the age of 5, this might not be the time to start a ministry at your church. Unless it’s a children’s ministry… then it may be the perfect time.
- After a layoff might not be the right time to go all out and open up your own business. Or… it may be the perfect time.
If your family spends time in prayer and truly knows the season of life they’re in and can embraces it, they won’t plant seeds that will ultimately go to waste.
This workbook will help you break the escape that comes with grabbing your phone. Use this to start living in the present.
Learn More2. You’ll know what to expect
I grew up in Florida. Though it is a mild climate, I never expected beach friendly temperatures in February. Why?
Because it’s winter in February!
I didn’t make big plans to go to the beach house and promise all my closest friends a good suntan. That would have been silly… However, we often do that to ourselves when we don’t correctly identify our season of motherhood.
Read: My “Daily Escape” to a Quiet Place & Why It’s Necessary
Neglecting your own physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional needs for so long―in an effort to be a selfless mother―leaves you depleted. Being well blesses your family! Learn WIN WIN strategies in my upcoming book!
Learn MoreHere is the hard truth:
- It’s okay to step down from various leadership positions.
- In this season of motherhood, it’s all right if you have to back out of a few groups you were once active in.
- If you expect you’ll be able to do everything you always did as well as you always did… you’re probably in for a reality check!
- If you feel like you have to continue to do it all, get some hired help. Someone like a mother’s helper may work.
Having irrational expectations leads to disappointment and disillusionment.
If you continually try to keep up the same pace in every season of life, especially the season of motherhood- you may be headed towards burn out.
Read: Most Moms Forget About These Personal Needs. You Shouldn’t!
3. Embracing your season of life will allow you to be able to persevere
I pretty much hate cold weather. I lived in the UK for two and a half years and, at times, had to physically put my hand over my mouth just to stop myself from complaining about the grey skies and constant drizzle.
Because my favorite things to do require heat and sunshine, I found it altogether depressing. It was difficult, but I had to learn to embrace that season of my life…
I was able to persevere because our plans were to move to warmer and sunnier climes. I knew that!
Because I knew the season we were in… I was able to persevere.
In fact, in the last few months before we moved… I actually enjoyed a Scottish winter filled with freezing temperatures and snow.
Take a closer look at your season of life…
- In this season of your life, maybe you don’t get to see your friends as much.
- Perhaps you’ve gone out to eat as much this entire year as you did in one month a while back.
- Maybe all your fancy clothes are gathering mothballs in storage or, even worse, they don’t fit.
Guess what, all of those things are ok! Embrace this season of life you’re in and you’ll be able to persevere past it!
If you know that your current season is special and will not last forever, you can persevere and push through the hard days.
4. You’ll have hope
There is hope when we feel dire, desperate, tired and weary.
When we’re wondering how the heck we’re going to make it another day, there is hope!
I believe God created seasons because He knows our capacity. His word says that he will not place on us more than we can handle. I often hear it said that it’s “always darkest before the dawn.”
There have been many a time in my life where I thought I was literally going to lose it. And then, all of a sudden, I laughed. I laughed because I knew that it honestly couldn’t get much worse so somehow – someway – God was going to show up and He was going to do it soon.
And He always did.
- pinpoint an issue
- draw out how it’s affecting you
- label what you don’t like about it
- determine areas of responsibility
- figure out how it’s showing up
- say what you’d rather happen
- brainstorm solutions
The seasons of life are for our good
Winter will end.
Spring will come.
Spring will turn into Summer and Summer will transition into Fall.
Embracing your season means acceptance of of the fact that good times and hard times will come and go. Understanding this and accepting it’s nature will give you peace in every season of your life.
The key is to be content where you are. “Bloom where you’re planted”, as they say. Though they look different, each season has plants and flowers that are suited for survival.
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Thanks for this! Hubs and I often remind one another that this season of life (three boys under four) with all its joy and all its frustration and work, is just a season. To be both enjoyed and endured for what it is. Little tear right now for this reminder.
Three boys under four sounds very exciting! In many senses of that word. Ha!
This post really hit home to me. I have an 11 month old son, and I can’t believe how quickly this first year of his life is passing by me. He is just starting to walk and in the back of my mind I’m thinking, “wait… when did he start crawling?” Although I have many seasons ahead with him, I’m already mourning the seasons past. I remind myself of that every time I get frustrated or worn out being a young mom with one wild boy :)
Glad it resonated with you, Danielle. I am telling you pregnancy feels like it lasts forever, but that first year of life goes by so quick it’s unbelievable!
Thank you so much for this post. I am loving your blog. I did subscribe and plan to write back an email and tell u a bit more about myself, but for now, I just want to say thank you :) Embracing this season is the best idea ever! Why didnt I think of it? Duh! I think a lot of my frustration had come from trying to keep a foot in last season while the rest of me is busy and emerged in my current season.
Samantha, that is EXACTLY the struggle so many of us have. Trouble leaving the last season and realizing that this season will pass too so it’s OKAY for us to go all in :)
The laughing part reminds me of Proverbs 31!
My struggle is with raising a special needs child and feeling despair when I look at the future, feeling so hopeless that the “season” will never end as I feel like I’ve been raising babies and toddlers for 7+ years when my younger child is 4, and my 7 year old still functions at around a 3-4 year old level. It breaks my heart to even admit that but it is reality and that’s necessary to accept… I don’t expect advice but I do feel awfully discouraged a lot of the time.
❤️ thank you for this, came right when I needed it. I’m grateful God inspired you and prepared you for this!
Wow. Exactly what I needed right now. This season has felt so long: stuck at home with four kids (7, 5, 2, <1) for what feels like foreeeeever. I was telling Hubs last night I would probably need counseling when life returns to “normal”. Thank you ?
You and me both, girl. AND MANY MORE BESIDES!
I just want you to know that The Lord seems to get you to write about exactly what I need When I need it. I love the Lord! This is a demanding season and I am just holding tight to the Phil.4:13 verse I have written on my kitchen window
Jaclyn, there’s nothing more encouraging you could have told me than that. Thank you!
Thank you very very much for all that you do! I really appreciate you. Your emails are like an encouraging and uplifting coffee chat with that wise mum friend who you treasure so much
Love this reminder. Also want to emphasize that the scriptures say “I can do all things THROUGH Christ who gives me strength.” It’s not that WE can handle anything life throws our way. When I think that way, I feel weak and ashamed when I feel overwhelmed. On our own, we are not enough. It’s not that God won’t give us more than we can handle. It’s that God will equip us and provide for us in all circumstances. Love and peace to you!
Couldn’t agree more! :)
The changing seasons is a great analogy and a great reminder – that like the weather, some things are not in our control but God’s. I don’t have toddlers, but I am in a unique season like many with three school-aged children at home in virtual school while I am also working and finishing up grad school. The newest aspect of my season is that my oldest is headed to college in the fall so just making sure we enjoy the transition by making lists and getting excited about how we will set up his room etc. is the best way I have chosen to enjoy the moment leading up to the transition without being totally anxious. I am very glad I found this article and I am reminded of Galatians 6:9 “And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not”.
I love this article! Resonates so much with me. With my first child I spent a lot of time ‘fighting’ against the season. With my second I have learnt to recognise and accept the season I am in.
Also worth remembering is how our monthly cycle affects us – our energy levels, emotional wellbeing, etc… Thanks Rachel for all the great articles