Turning Leaves, Turning Hearts: 5 Scriptures to Help Our Hearts Navigate the Changing Season

This changing season may be God’s invitation to lay down what you have been carrying and allow Him to refresh your spirit. It could be habits that leave you discouraged, a relationship that drains more than it gives, or simply the heavy weight of expectations you were never meant to shoulder alone.

God is fighting battles on our behalf, and just as Isaiah reminds us, God is always doing a new thing, if only we have eyes to perceive it.

Life can feel confusing and disappointing, but Scripture anchors us in truth: victory belongs to us if we persevere. With that promise in mind, let’s look at five Scriptures that encourage our hearts as we walk through the transitions of fall.

1. Seedtime and Harvest: Sowing in Faith

Scripture
"As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.”- Genesis 8:22

Change often feels uncertain. But Genesis 8:22 anchors us in a timeless truth: God’s rhythms never fail. As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest will continue.

Every word we speak, every choice we make, and every act of love or service is a seed. Even when we feel weary, frustrated, or unsure, we can still plant seeds of faith, kindness, and obedience. And when we do, we can trust that God will bring the harvest in His time.

The beauty of seedtime and harvest is that we don’t control the outcomes; God does. Our role is to remain faithful and sow seeds. His role is to provide healing, provision, and growth.

So, if you’re in a season where the leaves are turning and you’re not sure what’s next, focus on sowing good seed. Don’t grow weary. The harvest will come.

Reflection Question
What kind of seeds are you sowing right now with your time, words, and actions? What other seeds can you plant to heighten the impact of your harvest?

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Olga Rolenko 

Scripture
“…you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree.”  - Romans 11:17, ESV

The changing seasons can stir up questions of identity and belonging. Maybe you’re entering a new role, moving through loss, or simply unsure of what the future holds. Romans 11 reminds us that no matter what shifts around us, we are engrafted into God’s family tree.

We are not outsiders. We are chosen, connected, nourished by the very root of Christ Himself, and blessed according to the promises of Abraham. These truths steady us when everything else feels uncertain.

Like a branch grafted onto a strong, living tree, our lives and hearts can draw strength and stability from God’s promises. Seasons may change, but our position in Him remains the same.

Reflection Question
How does belonging to God’s family steady you when everything else feels uncertain? What does that mean to you?

Photo Credit: © Unsplash/AK N Cakiner

Scripture
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” - John 15:4, ESV

Fall is a time of change, but it’s also a time to stay rooted. As leaves fall and landscapes shift, John 15 reminds us that the only way to thrive in every season is to abide in Christ.

Abiding means remaining. Staying close. Dwelling with Jesus daily through prayer, Scripture, worship, and surrender. Just as a branch can’t produce fruit apart from the vine, we cannot bear fruit apart from Him.

When life feels unsteady, abiding brings stability. When everything else changes, Jesus remains constant. If your heart feels tossed by transition, lean deeper into Him.

Reflection Question
What is one practice you can prioritize this season to abide more fully in Christ?

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Bohdan Bevz

Scripture
“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” - John 15:2, ESV

There’s a phrase I love: “We’re pruned if we do and pruned if we don’t.”

Pruning is part of the Christian journey. It is not about God bringing harm into our lives but about His loving care as the master gardener. He carefully trims away attitudes, habits, or relationships that keep us from flourishing. At times, He gently removes things we did not even realize were weighing us down. Other times, the pruning feels sharp and painful, like loss, disappointment, or endings we never expected.

But pruning isn’t punishment. It’s preparation. Just as gardeners prune plants to make them stronger and more fruitful, God prunes us so that His purposes can flourish in our lives.

When we’re in the middle of that refining process, it’s tempting to resist or question His methods. Yet John 15 reminds us that pruning proves we belong to Him. If God is trimming away something in your life, it’s because He sees what you cannot: that greater fruit is ahead.

Reflection Question
What area of your life might God be pruning right now, and how can you trust His hand in the process?

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Bohdan Bevz

Scripture
“I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.” - John 4:38, ESV

There are seasons when we experience blessings we didn’t “earn.” Sometimes doors open because of the prayers, sacrifices, or faithfulness of those who came before us. Other times, God allows us to walk into opportunities, relationships, or abundance that feel like a harvest we never planted.

This is His grace at work. In seasons of change, it’s easy to dwell on what we’ve lost or what feels uncertain. But John 4 reminds us that God is sovereign over every field. He can cause us to step into harvests prepared by others, and He can allow others to water the seeds we’ve planted but have not yet seen grow.

Transition seasons remind us to remain open to the unexpected blessings of God. Don’t miss them by clinging to what has already passed.

Reflection Question
Where might God be calling you to notice and receive blessings you didn’t expect or prepare for?

The falling leaves and shorter days of autumn are more than a shift in weather; they are a sacred reminder. God is always at work, inviting us to release what no longer serves us, receive His pruning, sow faithfully, abide deeply, and rest secure in our identity as His children.

Whatever season you are walking through, whether grief, growth, or renewal, God is with you. He goes before you, fights for you, and assures you that in due time your harvest will come if you do not give up.

So, as you watch the leaves turn this fall, let them whisper a gentle truth to your soul: change is safe and beautiful when our hearts rest secure in Him.

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Design Pics/Kristy-Anne Glubish