Stepping into a Season of Reliance & Resilience
By Becky Beresford
It’s spring here in North Carolina but I’ve never seen a spring like this before. We moved from the Midwest in the fall and while the letting go was hard, God is beginning to show me the hope that comes from new seasons.
One of the first things I noticed was the height of trees on the East Coast compared to those in Illinois. Everything is taller here, soaring above gently rolling hills. The day we first arrived at our new home my heart was breaking because the cost of following Christ was high. God called us to leave loved ones we didn’t want to be far from.
LEARNING FROM THE TREES
With tears in my eyes, I walked out on the back deck and heard a noise that sounded like roaring water. But it didn’t make sense. The only thing in front of me were towering trees lining the back of our property… Then it hit me! I wasn’t hearing water, I was hearing the wind. The strong breeze blew steadily against the tall trees creating a glorious chorus of leaves, which impersonated the flow of a river. Immediately my mind recalled a fascinating study I had read earlier that year.
Scientists did large amounts of research and crafted this perfect environment to grow trees. Or so they thought. They had the perfect soil, the perfect amount of precipitation and the perfect amount of sun. The trees started to grow and the scientists believed they were on to something until suddenly, the trees began to topple over after reaching a certain height. As it turns out, the researchers had forgotten one crucial element needed to foster a tree’s growth – wind. The presence of wind within nature created resistance that pushed against the trees, which in turn, made the tree’s roots grow down into the ground. Without strong and deep roots, the tree’s growth was halted, even in the most ideal conditions.
Resistance is needed to foster deep roots, but it is also needed to build resilience. While hard seasons in life are often unwanted or unexpected (who purposefully asks God for resistance?), the pressures of life can cause us to grow in greater ways when we lean into Jesus. We become more resilient as we rely on our Lord.
FLOURISHING IN HARD PLACES
God has the ability to plant us where it is best. He has the wisdom to water us and nurture us how we need it. Only Christ can cultivate in us a faith that forges its way into the depths and reaches wide into every crevice of our hearts. We can flourish wherever God establishes us because He is faithful and capable of caring for His children. In fact, being with us, no matter the season, is His desire and joy.
Only Christ can cultivate in us a faith that forges its way into the depths and reaches wide into every crevice of our hearts.
Paul writes to the church in Ephesus,
Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.
Ephesians 3:17 (NLT)
Strength is not based on our own striving but is dependent on surrendering our hearts in trust to our Savior. God’s love is the stronghold of our lives and He will never let us go… come rain, wind or shine.
This season for my family is one of believing in God’s restorative ability to help us thrive where He has placed us. He’s moved us to a new field, a new community, a new life. But we still serve the same steadfast God. And with that knowledge, we understand how grief from goodbyes can give way to the Lord’s goodness. The winds of change can produce a sacred confidence in the One who never wavers. The cost for following Christ may be high, but greater and more beautiful is the reward – the constant presence of our King!
As we root ourselves in Christ’s love, He will help us endure any season we find ourselves in. Because ultimately, our hope and home will always be found in Him.
About Becky
Becky Beresford lives in North Carolina and is happily outnumbered by her husband and three wonderful boys. She is an author, speaker, and coach with a Master’s Certificate in Spiritual Formation and Discipleship from Moody Theological Seminary. Becky loves encouraging God’s Daughters to embrace Christ-centered empowerment through the truth found in the gospel. Her work has been featured in large online communities including Crosswalk, (in)courage, iBelieve, HuffPost, DaySpring, and she recently became a writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries’ First 5 writing team. Becky’s book with Moody Publishers, She Believed HE Could, So She Did, released in March.
Connect with Becky at BeckyBeresford.com and become a part of her Empowered Email Tribe or follow her on Instagram and Facebook.