Last week, my husband and I went to the mountains for several days, an early celebration of our 43rd anniversary. On the way, I mentioned that this fall has been a season of brown, a hot, late fall with scant color.
Sometimes life feels brown, times when everything seems drab and colorless, without vitality or joy.
Following are thoughts on brown seasons:
Brown Seasons Come and Go
Part of this year was a brown season for us. My husband had surgery in May, followed by a long and rocky recovery. After many hard months, he began to improve. At first, I had trouble believing improvement would last, but it did, and we moved forward with our lives.
When you are in a brown season, it’s difficult to see beyond the immediate. Discouragement takes hold, causing you to see all the negatives and little that is positive. But remember, seasons change. What is difficult and brown gives way to hope, change, and new growth. As in nature, the brownness and decay of fall, followed by the bleakness of winter, is exchanged for freshness, green, and renewal. Forward motion returns and propels us onward.
Look for Color
At one point on our trip, we got on the parkway. As we climbed, I saw blips of color. Then, we rounded a curve, and a riot of color greeted us. Sun highlighted the leaves from behind, enhancing their color as they danced in the breeze. Even in a brown life season, look for rays of light, the colors of hope, and the solace of beauty.
Find Comfort in a Season of Brown
For most of us, nothing about a brown life season seems good. We just want to hurry up and move through. But take comfort in a season of brown because what is happening now is preparation for what lies ahead. While you are waiting, give thanks for this season. What if, beyond the brown, comes an outpouring of blessings greater than you ever imagined? Could you endure a drab season if you knew what lies ahead?
Trust God to see you through a dull, hard, brown season, knowing his best for you is coming soon.
“As long as the world exists, there will be a time for planting and a time for harvest. There will always be cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night” (Genesis 8:22 GNT).
©CandyArrington
Candy Arrington is a writer, blogger, speaker, and freelance editor. She often writes on tough topics with a focus on moving through, and beyond, difficult life circumstances. Candy has written hundreds of articles, stories, and devotionals published by numerous outlets including: Inspiration.org, Arisedaily.com, CBN.com, Healthgrades.com, Care.com, Focus on the Family, NextAvenue.org, CountryLiving.com, and Writer’s Digest. Candy’s books include Life on Pause: Learning to Wait Well (Bold Vision Books), When Your Aging Parent Needs Care (Harvest House), and AFTERSHOCK: Help, Hope, and Healing in the Wake of Suicide (B&H Publishing Group).
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