President’s Post: The Constance Of Christ

Climate is the biggest difference between Alaska and Virginia. While I miss the long, cold hunting seasons back home in Alaska, there’s something tranquil about the full four-season weather cycle that Lynchburg, Va. beautifully displays. Given Virginia’s central coastal location, we get to experience the rhythms of each season as they ebb and flow.   

The concept of changing seasons reminded me of The Byrds, an old rock band of the 60s and 70s. While many of you are too young to remember this band, you might recognize the band’s song “Turn, Turn, Turn” here’s a quick segment:

“To everything (turn, turn, turn)

There is a season (turn, turn, turn)

And a time to every purpose, under heaven

A time to build up, a time to break down

A time to dance, a time to mourn

A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones 

together.”

This song comes from chapter 3 in Ecclesiastes, where Solomon speaks of a time for everything, and a God who is constant through them all. 

Seasons come and go, but we can be confident that each season will return. 

Different seasons bring challenges that give us reasons to prepare. In the winter, we make sure we have means to stay warm. In the summertime, we hydrate. With every passing winter and summer, we hopefully become better at weathering the climates with more comfort. 

Like ecological seasons, seasons in life come and go, and we can generally expect they will return. Sometimes, these seasons are maritime like spring and fall, but other times life brings us harsh obstacles and pain. 

It’s not enough to be optimistic about the Christmases of winter or the beach trips of summer. We must prepare for the hard times as well. 

How do we navigate these challenges? By remembering that while seasons come and go, Christ is constant through them all. 

Here are some tips that every Christian should commit to in preparation for spiritual seasons: 

1.  Begin each day with prayer and biblical meditation. It is arrogant for Christians to assume that they can conquer challenges without donning spiritual armor. 

2.  Seek out the wisdom of those who have weathered the storms before. There is wisdom in age, and there is spiritual satisfaction and growth in humbly seeking advice.

3.  Don’t weather the storm alone. Any Christian you confide in most likely also needed someone to lean on at one point. Let your friends be your friends. Let the Church be the Church. 

As Solomon said in Ecclesiastes chapter 1, there is nothing new under the sun. Perhaps this was Solomon’s way of securing credit since he knew The Byrds would use his poetry for their lyrics. But I think a more accurate biblical exposition is that seasons are endlessly repetitious and no experience is new, thus there is wisdom from others who have been through these seasons and a God who ordained them – the same God who promised to never leave or forsake us. 

Jerry Prevo is the President of Liberty University. Follow him on Twitter at @JerryPrevoLU.