Seasons of Change

Spiritual reflection to start the day with Siȃn Wyn Rees, Bible Society’s Head of Wales.

Good morning
Here we are in mid-September, at the beginning of meteorological autumn. A new term has begun, and pupils are back in school. Soon, crops will be harvested, the clocks will go back, teas and coffees will fully replace cold drinks, and the days will become shorter.

Nature requires no calendar to herald the arrival of a new season; it responds to these changes instinctively. No one needs to send an email to the trees instructing them to shed their leaves, nor telephone the birds to tell them that it is time to migrate south.

I have recently learnt of the acronym, VUCA which stands for volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. It was first coined in the late eighties to describe societal change brought about by the end of the Cold War, and it could be said, that forty years later, the world is once again in a season of VUCA. 2026 has been a turbulent year globally, a year of change, uncertainty, a year of both joy and suffering. But a difficult season is not necessarily the whole story, after every night, there is a day; after every winter, there is a spring.

The writer of Ecclesiastes declares that ‘There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.’ Nothing surprises God, and everything is known to Him.

Living God, we thank You for the changing seasons and for the beauty and purpose You reveal in each one. Thank you for your presence with us through every season of life, in times of joy, uncertainty, growth, and rest. Amen.