Last fall, when the signs went up on the Alpine Frosty, Rocky’s Root Beer Depot, and the Dairy King, everyone knew that summer was officially OVER. One could almost hear the collective groan when the hot dog stands, flower carts, food trucks, and bubblers (in Wisconsin) all shut down and shut off for the cold months of winter. Windows were shuttered, and the owners went to Florida. Closed for the season.
“While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter … shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22 KJV)
Life is a cycle—a rotation of seasons. We’re always in a continual segue from summer to winter to summer—both naturally and spiritually. It’s a part of life.
“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons … He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.” (Daniel 2:20-21, NIV)
There are times when joy rises like the warm summer sun every morning—when our hearts are perpetually glad and our outlook is bright. But then, circumstances like an icy arctic blast bring on the brittle bite of winter in all its dark and dreary solitude. When the windows of heaven seem closed, and we suddenly feel all alone in the cold. Sometimes the emptiness seems to last longer than necessary—as if it will never end.
“Does life never frighten you with its bleakness, Anne Shirley?” —Katherine Brooke.
Seasons come, and they go. But, all things considered, they are a good thing. God made them for a purpose—in order to fortify and strengthen us. In the cold, hard winters of life, there’s often a palpable tension in the air. But we must not forget that tension builds strength. Fortitude and hardiness come from surviving winter. Studies seem to show that people living in regions with four distinct seasons tend to be healthier overall, more active, and with a stronger immune system. God designed the seasonal cycle for our ultimate GOOD.
“Thou hast made summer and winter.” (Psalm 74:17)
But GOD is not seasonal. He is our continual “refuge and strength, an EVER-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1) The flow of His Spirit is never shut off—and access to Him is never closed for the season. No matter how we FEEL.
“He that keepeth thee will not slumber.” (Psalm 121:3 KJV)
“Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary?” (Isaiah 40:28 KJV)
Think about it: WHEN, since Day 7 of Creation, has God EVER rested? He is “the SAME yesterday, and today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8 KJV) When has He ever shuttered the windows of Heaven and ceased to pour out blessings? When has His faithfulness failed, or His mercy run dry, or His grace been withheld from His children? Not ever. He never gets moody or fickle or tired. He never needs a break or a day off—He doesn’t take vacations nor does He go on sabbaticals.
When we’re in a winter season, our spirits tend to go dark and silent and we don’t respond even when Jesus tries to speak to us. But He never will do that TO US. He’ll never stand us up when we make time for Him. He’s always as close as the mention of His name, and He will not ignore us when we call on him. When we reach for Him, Jesus is always there.
“Whither shall I go from thy spirit?
or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there:
if I make my bed in hell behold, thou art there.” (Psalm 139)
There’s no doubt about it—when we go through a soul winter, it’s always difficult. We must covenant with ourselves to stay focused and faithful through our cold, dark times. We cannot let the door of our desire for God ever be closed down for the season. In fact, if we are WISE and discerning, our winter season may prove to be our most fruitful!
I had an interesting conversation with a man in our church—a 4th-generation family farmer. His clan works 8,300 acres of some of the most productive crop land in central Indiana. He told me that, for a farmer, winter is never the time to stand down. Those days are precious: there is equipment to service, seed to prepare, and land to cultivate. In fact, if a farmer decides to expand his acreage, AND his yield, winter isn’t the time to DEPART to warmer climes—it’s the time to DIG! Without the winter, there would be no successful spring planting, summer growing, or fall harvest. A wise old farmer once told him, “The longer I live, the shorter the winters are.”
Are you in a winter season? Don’t shut yourself down. Don’t just endure it—use it! Sharpen your skills, and prepare the “seed” of your testimony by meditation and memorization of the Word of God. Use the downtime to cultivate your gifts and increase your yield in serving the Kingdom.
Joy is not a fruit of the season; it’s a fruit of the SPIRIT. It doesn’t just appear when the sun is shining and the flowers are blooming. The Holy Spirit makes joy appear in every season … yes, even when the thermometer is frozen solid and we feel stuck in our current misery. We can still have JOY in the season we’re IN. We can bring summer back in the middle of our winter. How is that possible? When we purposely REMEMBER the works of the LORD! When we determine to recall the warm glorious days of His favor. He has not forgotten—we must NEVER forget.
“In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord.
‘Will he cast (me) off for ever?
and will he show his favor no more?
Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has he in anger shut up his tender mercies?’
Selah. (I wonder … ??)
Then I said, ‘This is my infirmity: (YES!)
BUT, I WILL remember the works of the LORD!
Surely I WILL remember your wonders of old!
I WILL meditate also on all your work,
and talk of your doings!
Who is so great a God as our God?
You ARE the God that does wonders!’”
(Psalm 77–excerpted)
“Remembering—especially recalling God’s faithfulness—has a profound impact on our brain. When we intentionally remember past experiences of God’s provision, it strengthens neural pathways associated with trust and hope. The more we practice remembering, the stronger these faith-building neural pathways become. This means that over time, it becomes easier and more automatic to trust God, even in uncertainty.” —The Faith-filled Therapist
Be encouraged. Winter will not last forever. Spring is coming. Soon, we will hear the Lover of our Soul say: “For, lo, the winter is past. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come … Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.”
