The Resilient Series | Faith for All Seasons

How God forms resilient faith through life’s changing chapters

Welcome to The Resilient Series—a collection of reflections from wise, faith-filled voices exploring what it means to live resilient in Jesus. Each week, we’ll hear from a different writer—authors, pastors, coaches, neurosurgeons, and everyday disciples—sharing their stories, Scripture insights, and hard-won hope. Whether you’re arriving here at the start or joining partway through, each piece stands alone and invites you to draw near to the God who strengthens us through every season.

There are few things that test our faith more than change. We crave stability—rhythms we can predict, seasons we can name—but life rarely unfolds in neat, manageable chapters. One day we’re planting, the next we’re uprooted. One season feels like laughter; the next, loss. In this beautiful reflection, Megan J. Conner walks us through the uncomfortable in-between—the wilderness between what was and what will be—and reminds us that even when everything shifts, God remains steady.

To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;

A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;

A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;

A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.

Ecc. 3:1-8 (NKJV)

This passage from the book of Ecclesiastes is one of the most referenced scriptures in the Bible. Secular and Christian cultures alike call upon this sage wisdom from Solomon when faced with unpredictable transitions in life. Why is it that we are so surprised when seasons shift? We cognitively comprehend that change is the only constant in life, yet we are shocked when a season of joy transforms into a season of grief. We struggle with disappointment and heartache when relationships we assumed were permanent are torn away. We teeter on the precipice of despair when gain quickly becomes loss.

Before we know it, confusion consumes rational thoughts, and our faith begins to falter. We question why God has allowed our current circumstances. Our discomfort grows as we stumble through unfamiliar terrain. Doubts lead to mistrust, and we distance ourselves from our only true source of comfort and understanding with one clear, resounding thought – “I do like this! I do not want to be here!”

Sound familiar? The Israelites in the story of Exodus felt the same. Fueled by fiery faith, they marched out of Egypt into the wilderness only to discover it all looked nothing like what they had imagined. Though they were enslaved in their previous homeland, they rationalized: at least they had meat to eat and knew what was expected of them. Wandering in the desert, they recognized nothing. As irrational as it may seem to us, returning to captivity appeared more appealing to the travelers at that moment than continuing forward into an unknown future.

Any time we lack a sense of security, fear can easily slip in. We long for constancy in our relationships, our finances, our health, and the list goes on and on. Yet the Word of God is clear that there is a time and a season for everything. There will be times of laughter, but there will also be times of weeping. It would be wonderful if we could choose to remain in seasons of abundance and blessing, but unfortunately, those will always be contrasted by seasons of hardship and loss. There simply is no way around it. How then can we foster a faith that will not only thrive during periods of plenty but can also persevere through the unendurable periods of desperation?

I asked myself the same exact question for nearly two decades, as I resented the trials and transitions God allowed in my life and the life of our little family of three. It seemed like as soon as we emerged from one crisis, another one was there waiting just around the corner. From undiagnosable medical issues that led to countless hospitalizations, surgeries, threats of cancer; to sudden and significant employment transitions that left us with a mountain of bills and no idea how we would pay them; ten years of heartbreaking infertility with another five years seeking to grow our family through adoption only to come out on the other side absolutely shattered; overcoming addiction (another unwelcome result of long-term health issues) which ravaged our marriage and threatened the overall stability of our family; and our daughter facing the threat of paralysis not once, but twice, only to be diagnoses with an extremely rare, incurable lifelong condition.

Through it all, I wailed, I lamented, I grieved, and I questioned. More than that, I accused. Just like the ancient Israelites during the exodus, I accused God of being unjust. Of not truly caring for us – of not being “good.” While my heart was bruised and I felt utterly beaten, by the grace of God, I somehow still clung to my war-worn thread of hope. And God demonstrated his lovingkindness and patience to me. He did not cast me out for my bitterness and doubt. Instead, little by little, the Lord miraculously transformed my mistrusting heart of stone into a heart of flesh bursting with resilient faith.

It did not happen overnight, and it did take intentional effort on my part. Even when I wasn’t sure if I believed what I was reading in the Word, I still chose to come back to Him again and again.

I learned to abide in HIM.

Jesus says: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing,” (John 15:5, NKJV). In times of testing, He is our strong tower, our refuge and strength in our time of need (Ps. 61:3, Prov, 18:10). It is under the shadow of His wings that we are sheltered from the storms of this life (Ps. 91).

Though it may not feel like it at all when our seasons change, God is working for our ultimate good and His efforts truly are motivated by love. If you find yourself facing yet another season of life, questioning: “Why is God allowing me to experience heartbreak and hardship?” remind yourself He allows it because…

“…suffering produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, HOPE. Now HOPE DOES NOT DISAPPOINT, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts…” (Rom. 5:3-5)

God is concerned, not with the changing of your circumstances, but rather, the transformation of your heart. He is building in each one of us an enduring faith for all seasons.

Megan’s story invites us to stop resisting the seasons we don’t understand and start abiding in the God who never changes. Because resilient faith isn’t forged in comfort—it’s formed in surrender. When we learn to trust Him not only inthe change but through it, we discover the kind of hope that endures every season.

Next week isn’t a guest post, it’s a post from me!

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