I love the crispness of Fall weather, yet I’m still not quite ready to leave Summer behind. As the leaves change color, I’m reminded that another year is coming to a close, making way for another. With this in mind, I want to make the most of my time.

Ecclesiastes 3 begins with a set of contrasts: crying and laughing, war and peace, birth and death, planting and harvesting, etc. It’s easy to blame life’s contradictions or daily mundaneness for a lack of joy. In truth, God’s beauty is intrinsic to all things. However, our limited human capacity prevents us from seeing this beauty. We can exhaust ourselves by trying to “connect the dots” and make sense of every experience, good or bad. However, some things are simply meant to be observed.

When we view life’s paradoxes through the lens of eternity, Ecclesiastes 3 brings us back to a simple, powerful truth: “there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live.” (Ecclesiastes 3:12)

Instead of mourning the end of Summer or rushing through Fall, I am learning to marvel at God’s handiwork in both. Look at the two photos above. In the first, a summer garden flourishes in bloom. In the second, a fall tree puts on a brilliant, fiery display. Both are stunning, yet one represents peak growth and the other represents a season of letting go.

In every season, God’s beauty is fully alive. Look again at the pictures above; what similarities do you see? What beauty is He revealing to you in your current season?

What are the characteristics of a healthy church? One might think of gospel-centered preaching, vibrant worship, deep Bible study, biblical fellowship, and active outreach. That sounds pretty good to me! One would naturally assume that if a local church offers these programs, disciple-making and spiritual maturity will automatically follow. The sobering reality is that a local church can do an excellent job providing these opportunities, yet its participants may still lack spiritual maturity.

When maturity seems lacking, we should consider Ephesians 4:15-16: “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

God’s design for healthy growth is for believers to help one another grow. The biblical model is that the body matures as each individual part “works properly.” That means each of us must conform to Christ’s pattern of life. Jesus modeled this for His followers by intentionally seeking, listening to, and obeying the Father. He wanted them to know, “the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” (John 5:19)

Following Jesus’ example will naturally lead us to genuine concern for others’ spiritual well-being. As Jesus did, we will seek good for anyone the Father places in our path. This is where real growth happens, not in isolation or merely by attending services, but by actively journeying with the people around us.

The Father’s love drives this pattern of life. Time spent with God steeps His love into our character, which leads us to love as He and the Son have loved. Their love, by the power of the Spirit, refines us so that our part of the body can “work properly.”

Jesus did not live this pattern of life in isolation; neither should we. Are you currently operating independently, or are you actively seeking, listening to, and obeying the Father? For the body of Christ to grow, we must put off our personal preferences and put on what we see the Father doing. As we cooperate with one another and speak the truth from the love of God within us, we will experience true maturity and see His Kingdom expand.