Welcome to Your Winter

 It's winter in Massachusetts, the cold Northeast of the United States.

 I'm walking trails where I had previously walked during summer. Familiar hidden places are now open, exposed, no longer covered by leaves. What once where side paths and secret places to explore are now visible from the path I'm on.Winter has stripped these little hideaways and off-the-beaten-path trails by stripping away their leafy green coverage. And I feel like I'm seeing my heart.

My heart feels exposed. It is no longer protected or covered by comfort or distraction. It is laid bare. Winter has a way of doing that; I mean the wintry seasons of our lives, of course.

 There is beauty in the warmth and full foliage of spring and summer. But there is also beauty in the New England Winters. Pure white snow covers the exposed places. Fresh, crisp air fills my lungs. The air seems clearer. But it is still cold. It feels like something is missing.


God uses the winter of our lives to expose our need; to show us where we really are and who we really are. There is nothing hidden before His eyes. And that's OK, because He's the God who covers. And heals. He shows us our weakness, reveals our failure, lays bare our need. Not to shame; for their is no shame in seeing who we really are. There is no shame in having our weakness open before us. He shows to fix. He reveals to repair. The removal of any false pretense allows God to do His work in our life and to ready us for the spring that is coming.

 Winter is God's way of making way for the spring.

 As I continue walking down this path, snow crunching under my boots, I hear the cold, dry wind blowing in the treetops. The applause is gone. There is no sound of green leaves catching the warm summer breeze; only the sound of frigid air blowing against leafless wood. The warm summer breeze has left, and green leaves with it. Winter has no applause. Our season of exposure leaves no room for the "Good Job!" or "Wow, love your ministry!" or the praise-filled words we might love to hear. There is only the reminder of how green it isn't, and how much we are in need.

 And that's OK. There is no shame in this. Because spring is coming and we are being prepared for it. Lay dormant with content. Allow your winter to do its work. Your spring comes. And when it does, the trees of the field will again clap for joy and the grassy acres will wave in the wind. Your exposed places will come to life.

 And your garden will be beautiful.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
Fixer-Upper I have a soft spot for houses that have potential, or as some people like to call them, fixer uppers. So does my daughter Kaity. She inherited that part of me. I look at a shack and see a mansion. I walk through overgrowth and see a beautiful garden. The viewed as hopeless thrills me; makes my what-could-be senses tingle.   Not everyone looks at a blank canvas and sees a masterpiece. Thank God. I'm grateful for those of us endowed with the gift of planning and practicality; those not afraid to ask the tough questions. This world needs not only dreamers, but anchors as well.  My wife and I recently went to look at a house that Kaity and her husband Paul were considering buying. We drove up the slight hill to the house, turned left (eyeing the neighbor's do not trespass sign) and parked on the property. I think my wife's heart may have sunk a little. My heart soared. She saw the work, the investment required, the dirty kitchen stove. I saw a brand new yard,...
Read more
Image
No More We walk into a store, heading straight for the sale item, holding our coupon; excited to get such a good deal on something we've been wanting for at least a month or more. But when we get there, the item is gone - no more left. It happens often. No more cappuccino muffins at the bakery. No more fresh coffee; it's too close to closing time. No more money to pay the bills. No more, no more, no more. But what if I told you that the two most beautiful words I heard today were "No More"? What if I told you that those words actually bring hope and not disappointment? Freedom and not frustration. Joy and not sadness. Today especially I look to those words. Today they've taken on special meaning and provided strength. Today has caused me to look to those words for hope, freedom, and joy. No more. What did He say? Do you remember? No more sorrow. No more tears. No more loss. No more broken, no more ... For those of us who are the forerunners, who ha...
Read more
An underlying culture exists in America today, a pattern of thought that says, "At all costs, avoid pain." And we, as the church, must take care to not let our understanding of scripture be shaped or influenced by such a world view. For from this culture we have seen such pseudo-spiritual doctrines as "name it and claim it" spring up to entice the body of Christ. We’ve incorrectly divided scriptures such as "By His wounds we are healed" to wrongly mean that we shall never suffer disease of any kind. Yet it was the disease of sin that was defeated on the cross.  Comfort is king in our "now" society and we must take care that we don't adopt that attitude in ourselves. I'm going through a dark night of my soul. Right now in my life. It's uncomfortable, and I want it to end. And I suppose that my desire for comfort, release, and escape goes beyond just the cultural norm of today. Our human nature doesn't embrace suffering. Understan...
Read more