If you know me, you will be very surprised to hear me say that I am tired of the snow. I’ve worked for our county school system for a very long time, and snow days are the best kind of surprise during a long winter. Oh, how I love to wake up in the morning to find out I have a paid day off from work! Who wouldn’t like news like that on a cold morning – or on any morning for that matter? What a gift!
Even when my boys were in school, I loved snow days off with them. It was so much fun when they would come down the stairs in the morning and realize school was cancelled. The day would be filled with hot cocoa, cookies, sleds and lots of wet mittens, hats and snow pants. Our dryer ran overtime so they could put it all back on and head out into the snow again.
I truly do love snow days.
But…March has arrived and the winter weather showed up again this morning. In the short span of a few hours we have had snow, then sleet, and now freezing rain. Plans were cancelled and no one is going outside this afternoon. This is our third winter weather event in just one week and we may see another in a few days.
Enough! I am finally tired of the snow!
This winter won’t go on much longer, and I know that. Underneath the ice and snow my crocuses are getting ready to pop up through the ground. Even though I can’t see them yet, they are there and that means a transition to spring is coming very soon.
New life is just around the corner.
Some of you are experiencing a long winter season of your own. It might have to do with a relationship, a loss, a disappointment, or a setback. It may be completely out of your control. I get it – I know how it feels to be so done with it. Just like the view outside of my window today, everything might seem gray and barren. The winter should be over, yet it continues. It’s hard to imagine new life could be just around the corner, but that is exactly what Scripture tells us.
“So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us – on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace.” ~ 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.
Sister, new life is just around the corner.
God is working on your behalf, although you may not be able to see it yet. And even if your long winter is out of your control, you can control how you weather through it. We may not be able to change our circumstances, but we can change how we move through them. We can choose to walk in faith.
Paul describes it this way:
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” ~ Hebrews 11:1
And I LOVE the Message translation:
“The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see.” ~ Hebrews 11:1
I can’t see my crocuses today, but I know they are there. I know this because year after year and season after season, they work beneath the surface – and, at the right time, they come through and make themselves known – even after a brutal winter.
Our Lord is like that, too. Time after time and season after season, He is working beneath the surface of our circumstances. Then, at the very right time, He comes through and makes Himself known – and when He does, He brings new life!
My friend, stay the course! Exercise that faith and trust muscle.
Even when we can’t see Him working, He is.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.“ ~ Romans 15:13
