At this point, she decided it was time to take what she learned in bible study and begin to preach it to herself, just like David models in the Psalms. She decided she would find out how to do what the bible prescribes "to take our thoughts captive (2 Cor. 10:5), and to not be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God." (Rom. 12:2). She recognized the truth of Proverbs 23:7 that tells us, For as He thinks in his heart, so is he." She also recognized that she must change her thinking in order to do what James commands as an antidote to being tossed about by the wind: "to be doers, not just hearers of the Word." She was determined to find out how to deal with her "woe is me" moments with more grace and the "endurance and patience" that Col. 1:10-11 speaks of.
As she made this active choice, she realized that just as there are seasons of differing circumstances in our lives, some good, some not - that there are also seasons of growth and waiting - that this being able to take our thoughts captive and hold up to testing does not come in one single decision. She was reminded what I Peter 1:4 tells us: that we can rejoice though now we have had to suffer a little while in all kinds of trials that have come to prove the genuineness of our faith.
She outlines the seasons of growth as the Winter of RESTING in God's promises, the Spring of REHEARSING truth and REPLACING lies, the Summer of RESPONDING in faith, the Fall of REMEMBERING when blooming stops and weariness sets in
She clung to the model of David in Psalm 42 as he tells his own soul to PUT his hope in God, POUR out his soul and emotions, to THIRST for God as he PRAYED, PRAISED and REMEMBERED what God has done for him in the past. Though these word were familiar, to actually DO them required a new way of thinking, living and being.
Ruth then sets out on this journey by using Colossians to lead her through these seasons of growth, starting with the command in Col. 3:1-2 to set her heart on the things above, not on earthly things.
Winter - the Season of Resting
Running on empty, she started her search for growth in a state of Winter, where her sense of hope felt trampled on like the hardened earth of this season, when she wasn't sure if she could survive the bitter cold, overwhelmed and frustrated by her to do lists. She listened to God's call to lay down her fears and her frantic striving to fix and control and to wait, trust, weep and rest.
She began to see that resting is not passive; it is an active choosing to trust in the God who is at work in the unseen, beneath the surface of the frozen ground. Like the hymn, she saw how she was "prone to wander, prone to leave the God I love." but was ready to learn the next verse: Here's my heart, oh, take and seal it, seal it for they courts above." She began to rest in His promise to be her Guide, Comfort, Presence and Strength, to know that He is sufficient for our every need because as Augustine famously voiced our true condition: "Thou madest us for Thyself and our heart is restless until it finds repose in Thee."
Spring - Rehearsing Truth and Replacing Lies with Truth
She began to see a new way of thinking peek out from the long, dark days of being tossed in the winter winds, to peek out like a crocus in a new snowfall, knowing the wind and rain was not over, but clinging to the new roots, anticipating growth ahead as she grounded herself in what is right and true. This was the time of watering and waiting, building muscle memory for new growth instead of withering to her default modes, to know that she would one day bloom into holiness in His sight IF she continued in her faith as is promised in Col. 1:21-23. REHEARSING truth began to be her new default when storms came. It didn't happen naturally. Her muscle memory of reaching for her phone first, began to slowly be replaced by seeking Him FIRST, by practicing His presence and being immersed in His Word.
She began to see herself as the blessed one that is like the tree Psalm 1 and Jer. 17:5 speak of, the one who doesn't reach first for the wicked and mocking which she saw in so many of the memes in the wasteland and elemental spirits of the world that she found as she spent so much time on Facebook and listening to talking heads on tv, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord. She began to see that she was meditating on the law of the Lord day and night and began to expect that she really would yield its fruit in season and be one whose leaf does not wither in a time of drought. She began to see that she really was abiding and depending on Him as she rehearsed who she was becoming more and more alive in Christ that Col. 2: 13 -14 speaks of. She began to see that she was filled with Him as she began to depend on Him , and be emptied of anxiety, fear, discontent and worry.
Summer - the season of responding in faith
And then, just as the days become longer in summer, so did her time and delight in the Word. She began to see how she had forced her fruit of service out of obligation and people-pleasing rather than discerning His will and purpose for her. She began to see that she was walking in the Spirit and not gratifying the desire of her flesh, but instead the fruit of the spirit of Gal. 5 began to be what she was reaping : growth in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and SELF-CONTROL!!!
She began to understand that setting her mind on things above was reiterated in Phil. 4:8 - that though she still listened to the news and checked in with friends on Facebook, what she dwelled on was whatever is honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, things of moral excellence and worthy of praise, that dwelling on His Word began to be a way of life. And she saw that fruit was not just working at looking like a good church person, but of abiding in Him. She began to see what Col. 3:23 meant when it says that whatever we do, work at it with all your heart as unto the Lord. And that fruit also began to appear in her marriage as the peace of Christ began to rule in her heart (Col. 3: 14) allowing her to bear the fruit of humility and submission more often in her marriage which encouraged more sacrificial loving and respectfulness from her husband. (Col. 3:19-20) And she began to take seriously (Col. 3:8) to watch what come from her lips, that speaking ill of others does not honor the Lord.
Fall - Remembering when blooming stops and weariness sets in
This is no bible study for those who have lofty ideas of becoming pharisetically holier thou. No, the discussion of fall reminds us of the reality of the shifting seasons of our lives. While we do find that becoming immersed in the Word and seeking to put God first in every thought really does bear the fruit that Col. 3:15 promises, that we can let the peace of God rule in your hearts.
But anyone that has done any gardening at all knows that they do not stay neat and tidy and nor do our lives. Perfect rows become overgrown, vines and weeds threaten to take over. Growth looks messy. Growth takes work and resources of fertilizer and honest labor. Growth makes weariness worth it. But even disciplined pruning and a well kept garden has an end to the fruit bearing season. If we forgetfully take credit for our own resourcefulness or ability to produce beautiful by-products of faith, we will take on a burden we were never meant to carry. Phil. 2:12-13 tells us that we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you. The seasons of our fruitfulness are totally dependent on Him, not on what we hope to accomplish, or take credit for.
Paul's final instructions to the Colossians in 4:2-6 tells them (and us) to continue steadfastly, to walk in wisdom... Let your speech be gracious. We will have fallow seasons where we must wait on the Lord and His timing and not force fruit, in others or ourselves. With Him we can know that no season is wasted. Even in the darkening seasons of fall and winter we can know with the Psalmist in Ps. 62 that truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from Him, that He will refresh the weary (Jer. 31:25), that we can come to Him when weak and heavy laden and He will give us rest. (Matt. 11:28)
And so, this book is one that I've just given snippets of its wisdom. It truly is one that uses the Word throughout its pages to help us understand that we must, as Hebrew 10:23 commands: to let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering. For He who promised is faithful.
In this beautiful book, illustrated creatively by the author, we are reminded that seasons of the heart are just that - seasons. After a season of growth and productivity, we still become surprised by a season of painful waiting and unrest, back to a season where we must call upon reminders of God's provision when we are weary and spend. But we must be resilient, just as our earth was created to be, to have seasons of rest, rehearsing, responding and remembering.
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