Seasons
“They are like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither...” (Psalm 1:3)
Ah, the seasons we go through, from times that feel like Summer, with excitement and fun, or Spring, when we feel fruitful with new ideas and dreams. Then there's Autumn, bringing rest and change, but eventually, the dreaded winter arrives. Similar to the trees, we go bare, with nothing to distract us or make us feel full; we are left with our structure—visible and fragile.
From the fullness of the Summer and Spring seasons, we now can see the dead twigs and branches. But what looks dead outside, if the roots are deep and well-established, is simply an appearance, because life is inside, waiting for the right time to flourish again.
Most of us prefer the warmth of Summer, but our souls and hearts desire the lessons we learn when winter comes. In this season, there's nothing to distract us, and we are left in a position of vulnerability where things need to be dealt with. We can either embrace the changes or let our tree die.
Fullness can be distracting, pulling our focus away from our foundations. In the winter, what's exposed to ourselves can reveal a beautiful opportunity for growth and new beginnings.
When we go through winter with God, He reveals our hearts to ourselves. In this season, we face two decisions: ignore our roots, allowing them to become exposed and fragile, or give room to the best gardener to strengthen and establish them by the streams of water—the Holy Spirit.
Something amazing happens when we shift from resisting and questioning to learning to rest and allowing gratitude to take place in our hearts. A new cycle begins. A new season takes place.
In winter, God gives us an unshakable identity in Him, an identity that knows He is the source, where our roots should be. And the tree learns a lesson: stand firm and REMAIN IN HIM.
For you:
Sometimes, the winter arrives and our foundations are exposed and show a fragile structure. Today I want to encourage you to go to the presence of God and ask Him to reveal to you what is broken in you that needs to be made new in Him. Even if you are going through the beautiful Summer, underneath the "beauty", you might have some things you need to work on them. Ask Him for help, allowing His gentle touch to reach to your structure and bring life to it.
