Winter Blues

“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome."

Anne Bradstreet, The Works of Anne Bradstreet

I do enjoy the beauty of the snow and the warmth of Hot Chocolate with the family, but lately I have been craving the warmth of spring and the bright rays of the sunshine. March has arrived and with it the hope of spring, and the end of the cold, long winter. 

Life is full of seasons, just as winter seems barren and hard, spring brings showers of blessings. Lately I have felt I was in winter, the cold outside seemed to mirror the cold within. Not a defeating cold, just a weary cold. Have you ever just felt weary? My body has certainly been weary lately, and sometimes when the body is weary the soul follows suit.

However, as weary as we may be, can you not still see the beauty in the cold? Look how the snow covered trees look so peaceful, how about the pure white of the snow, isn't is peaceful as well? So too, our Lord gives peace in the winter times of life. His Word is a balm to the weary soul, how it comforts and gives peace.

This winter season, the Lord has taught me much about selfishness, and reminded me time and again how consumed with ME I really am. It's easy to do, isn't it? If we wake up in the morning physically hurting, what are our first thoughts? "I don't feel good, what can I do to feel better" How about if we awake with a deep emotional burden, our first thought is still how to make it go away. Don't we as humans want to take away the pain, be it physical, emotional or otherwise? 

But, look at our Lord... Was he selfish when he carried our cross? Oh no! Just hours before Calvary he prayed, "let this cup pass from me: neverthelss not as I will, but as thou wilt." Matt 26:39b 

Oh let us pray as our Savior did, "not as i will, but as thou wilt." It may not be God's will to take us out of winter, but to take us through it. The Lord has a plan for our winter, HIS way is always right, even in the cold, barren times (especially in the cold, barren times). 

So friend, whatever your winter looks like today, take heart, spring is on the horizon and with it the showers of blessings.