Seeing God’s creation change at the very beginning of each season brings me so much joy! I particularly love experiencing the new birth that takes place as winter transforms into spring.
About the time I lose hope for those warm sunny day, signs of life begin to sprout forth! Buds on trees, bright colored tulips, Easter lilies and sprouts of green grass make their long awaited appearance, lifting my spirits once again.
It’s a bit different when it comes to my personal life. The ups and down, twists and turns, “seasons” of life, seem to last longer than expected. When I seem to face one thing after another, I pray for good news, but only bad news comes. Those “winters” never seem to end while living in the midst of the storm.
Being from Oklahoma, it can be bright and sunny in the morning and cold and raining in the evening. The weather is fickle, and so is our journey here on earth. One moment I’m living in summer just long enough for it to turn into fall in a blink of any eye, leaving me breathless in the wake of a cold blustery wind.
So what is a Christian girl to do?
Do I give up hope? Looking for signs of life, yet finding nothing.
I turn to the Word, clinging to the promise of a new day that will burst forth hope. Bringing a long awaited victory!
God’s word tells me in Nehemiah “The joy of the Lord is my strength.”
When things feel less than joyful, I can cling to the promise that His joy will give me strength. I am weak, but He is strong. Therefore, if I rely on my own strength I will fail every time. But, if I remember He is the one with all the strength, I can rest in the joy that He will carry me through.
God’s Word says, “You who sit down in the High God’s presence, spend the night in Shaddai’s shadow, Say this: ‘God, you’re my refuge. I trust in you and I’m safe!” (Ps. 91:1-2)
I can rest in His presence during those nights that seem to never end because of fear, worry and pain. I can trust in my God who hears me, for He is in control, even in moments when I am spinning out of control. Spend time crying out to my God who hears me, knows me, understands me, and finding rest to trust He is in control.
“The path of the righteous is level; you, the Upright One, make the way of the righteous smooth” (Isa. 26:7).
If we aren’t careful, we could think this verse means life should be easy. But we have spent too many days on earth to believe that! Instead, God shows us our path. He leads us down the path He wants for us. It may be hard, and at times, we would choose a different road. But in the end, we will see how His name and His renown were made known to those around us because we continued to walk the path laid out before us.
Knowing He is the guide should bring peace. It isn’t an arbitrary journey. There is purpose and meaning behind each day! Every single one of our days were numbered long before we were even born (Ps. 139:16).
Never stop reading God’s word, especially in the winter months of life. It is our life blood, our warmth when life gets cold. When we need strength, sometimes the heaviest thing we can lift is a leather bound book with letters written in red. But I challenge you sister/brother, muster up all the strength you have, pull those pages open and cling to the words until hope bursts forth, and your new season begins!