When Spring Comes Slowly
A few days ago when as I was walking from my car to my office, I smelled fresh cut grass for the first time spring. Needless to say, it was wonderful.
I feel like spring has come so slowly this year. Usually at this point, my campus is clustered with people wearing sandals and shorts, some already lightly tanned. But this year sweatshirts and jeans are still reigning, which made the buttery sunlight and warm wind all the more sweeter that morning.
It is my firm belief that with God, we're always on the verge of a spring season in our lives. He is always doing something new in us. He is always leading us into a new time of life. With Him, we are always on the verge of something beautiful.
But as we all know, before spring comes winter, and sometimes it can seem like the winters are dragging on. So what do we do when the dead trees don't seem to be budding, when the frost is oppressing the flowers, and stale air won't give way to the fresh? What do we do when life feels stuck in a bad situation and no matter what you do you can't make it go faster?
First, let me tell you a secret.
The only way out is through.
No matter how frustrating or unfair, the winters will come. There's no formula to avoid them, and accepting that is the first step to dealing with them. Often we pray for God to have His will in our lives, but when things don't run on our schedule we complain. So the first step is often submitting to the storm. Secondly, remember that taking matters into your own hands to try to run control the situations normally only takes us farther from God. He wants to teach us trust, and if we're fighting Him for the direction of the rudder the ship won't sail straight. Lastly, guard your heart. In my experience, its in those times where it feels like nothing is changing that we have to protect our knowledge of who God is. In my own winter seasons, I've said in moments of frustration that God wasn't coming through for me, that He wasn't hearing me, and that nothing would ever get better. Regardless of the fact that those things aren't true, they're so easy to believe. The truth is that if we forget the goodness of God, we'll forget our hope, we'll forget our comfort and we'll forget our peace.
We don't get to choose whether or not we have to weather the winter, but we do get to choose how we do it - choose to stay close to the One who holds the seasons rather than relying on your own small hands to carry you through.
So when spring seems to come slowly, remember that it still comes. Remember that God is still good. Remember that this is an opportunity to grow and that the sun is still alive even if its behind the clouds. Remember that seeds begin growing under the dirt and that when spring does choose to burst radically, unexpectedly into bloom, the pain of winter will disappear just as quickly.
I feel like spring has come so slowly this year. Usually at this point, my campus is clustered with people wearing sandals and shorts, some already lightly tanned. But this year sweatshirts and jeans are still reigning, which made the buttery sunlight and warm wind all the more sweeter that morning.
It is my firm belief that with God, we're always on the verge of a spring season in our lives. He is always doing something new in us. He is always leading us into a new time of life. With Him, we are always on the verge of something beautiful.
But as we all know, before spring comes winter, and sometimes it can seem like the winters are dragging on. So what do we do when the dead trees don't seem to be budding, when the frost is oppressing the flowers, and stale air won't give way to the fresh? What do we do when life feels stuck in a bad situation and no matter what you do you can't make it go faster?
First, let me tell you a secret.
The only way out is through.
No matter how frustrating or unfair, the winters will come. There's no formula to avoid them, and accepting that is the first step to dealing with them. Often we pray for God to have His will in our lives, but when things don't run on our schedule we complain. So the first step is often submitting to the storm. Secondly, remember that taking matters into your own hands to try to run control the situations normally only takes us farther from God. He wants to teach us trust, and if we're fighting Him for the direction of the rudder the ship won't sail straight. Lastly, guard your heart. In my experience, its in those times where it feels like nothing is changing that we have to protect our knowledge of who God is. In my own winter seasons, I've said in moments of frustration that God wasn't coming through for me, that He wasn't hearing me, and that nothing would ever get better. Regardless of the fact that those things aren't true, they're so easy to believe. The truth is that if we forget the goodness of God, we'll forget our hope, we'll forget our comfort and we'll forget our peace.
We don't get to choose whether or not we have to weather the winter, but we do get to choose how we do it - choose to stay close to the One who holds the seasons rather than relying on your own small hands to carry you through.
So when spring seems to come slowly, remember that it still comes. Remember that God is still good. Remember that this is an opportunity to grow and that the sun is still alive even if its behind the clouds. Remember that seeds begin growing under the dirt and that when spring does choose to burst radically, unexpectedly into bloom, the pain of winter will disappear just as quickly.
Psalm 77:11-12
11
I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12
I will consider all your works
and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”
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