I am not a fan of winter. Matter of fact, it almost feels as though as winter approaches I want to curl up and crawl into my cocoon. I love the holidays, but other than that I have no use for winter. I get depressed and feel like doing nothing. I don't like the bland landscape, bare trees and most assuredly I do not like the snow. It represents death, nothingness in my mind, just bleak skies and dull colors along with cold temperatures. It leaves me with chills and the thought to hide.
SPRING! Aaaaahhhh, now you're beginning to speak in a manner that I enjoy. I love spring. I love all that spring brings with it and the fact that it is a forerunner to summer. I don't much care for the spring rains which leave the landscape muddy, and still somewhat brown, but the wonderful smells that come with those spring rains are something I almost crave. I know that under all that mud there are green shoots anxious to pop through the dirt. Simply knowing what will happen makes me happy.
I like summer the best of all. I appreciate the times when I can throw open the windows and feel the warm almost tropical breezes coming through the windows, but with summer comes those horrible summer storms, tornadoes and so on, but I am willing to put up with those just to have those wonderful warm summer days. Full bloom beautiful flower... life!
Then there is fall. I love the colors of fall and the harvest. I have decorations out for every season but the fall decorations are by far the most vivid and colorful. But, with the fall comes the end of the growing season, and the leaves coming off the trees, and no more flowers. I think you get the picture.
Winter is soon here.
I have heard our spiritual lives compared to the seasons. For me, I must go through more seasons than we actually have. I have a 'spring', where I have a spring in my spiritual step, I am happy as the Lord speaks small things that are planted into my heart, and they begin to take root. I love watching them grow. Then I have summer. My summer consists of the time when I see my heart in full bloom. Living in the truths of what God has spoken into my life, bearing fruit. I feel so alive and like I am contributing to everything around me. Then fall. I enjoy the harvest, watching the things or people that God has been able to change, grow, and now come to fruition. Watching how people respond to the seasons in their lives. Winter. I still do not like winter. I feel as though I am doing nothing. I am not experiencing God; I am not budding, blooming or even ready for harvest. I am simply there. Perhaps God is speaking to me loud and clear that now is the time I need to rest. Rest in Him and trust that in that time of nothingness, He is preparing the soil of my spirit. It needs to be replenished, revitalized. But to receive that rest, and time to absorb I must sit and wait.
I feel as though I am emerging from a long winter. Do you? Have you gone through a time of nothingness? Where you do not feel particularly useful in the body of Christ? Seeing the buds on the trees outside my window right now gives me great hope. Seeing the buds of something wonderful in my heart, and knowing that soon those buds will bloom just as my spirit will, gives me assurance!
Lord, I thank you that even when it seems that there is nothing to see, when it feels like no life it visible, that You can take those times and prepare the soil of my soul for spring! Help me to trust You that spring will come again.
Becki Reiser
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