It is a funny thing in life; we often cultivate patience with others, but have little left over for ourselves. We tell our friends and family members to take a break, get more sleep, nourish their bodies and souls. We worry about our children, our aging parents, our neighbors, our friends. We want them to slow down a bit, enjoy life more, stop and smell the roses in the garden of life. We do not want them to demand so much of themselves that daily living becomes a grind; we want them to focus on the big picture, and take little steps each day to make their dreams come true.
It is winter now, but still, the garden blooms. It blooms with the expectation of what will be. It is as if the little seedlings beneath the ground are shouting: “Just wait! I am coming! And this year, I will be even more beautiful than ever before.”
But, it will take time. So many things worth having in this life take time…We must endure the hardships of ‘winter’ in our lives; there are setbacks, health problems, broken dreams, to name just a few.
Still, deep down inside of us, the seedlings of hope are screaming out to us: “Hey, don’t give up! Have a little patience. The best and most beautiful blooms in your life are coming.”
Often, we must remind ourselves that ‘spring’ does live inside our souls. With the help of God, we have all we need to bloom. Unfortunately, there are bitter frosts, and untold happenings along the way in life. And so, we must persevere when the ground beneath our feet feels frozen. A thaw will come and we must wait it out.
This winter, my daffodils bloomed out of season. It is not time for them to bloom. Imagine that! Things blooming when they should not! It is winter, and yet, the warm sun nudged the daffodils along, and here they are!
Perhaps, you and I, are like that too. Maybe, things are blooming within us when we least expect. The warm sun nudges us too… It is the love of God that pushes us forward, winter-weary souls that need His light.
We must be patient with the work this gardener does in our lives. He sees the whole picture. He sees the resplendent colors, the dawn of a new day, the unfolding of our lives in vivid panoramic view.
We see only a part of the picture. Each day, we must do all that we can to keep that garden flourishing. We must do for ourselves what we most want for our beloveds; we must nourish our bodies and souls.
Winter is upon us. There are days when we are very tired. What can we do as a new day begins? We yawn and stretch, drink our coffee, and plan our day. What can we do to bring about spring, deep within us, in the quiet hours of the early morning?
We pray. Only in this way, can we make the right decisions. Our souls need conversation with God. He loves to hear from us…all the little and big things matter to Him.
We tend to our bodies. We do not need to run a marathon. We need to listen to our bodies and give them what they need. Sometimes, it is rest. Sometimes, it is a lot of activity. We must strike a balance and learn to be aware when something simply is not right.
We practice patience with ourselves. We remember to take our time and celebrate our successes. We forgive ourselves when we feel we could have done better.
Most of all, we keep our hopes high. Our blooms matter. We are needed in the garden of life. We do our best, and that is all we can ask of ourselves. With patience on our part, the Gardener works his magic. His seedlings sprout and look to Him for light. There is mystery and beauty; a plan unfolds, winter or summer, blooms only God Himself could create.
Romans 12:12: “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
Oh Linda, what a beautiful analogy! First of all, I love daffodils and to think, you got an early splash of their springtime joy! It’s so true, we do have to weather the winters of our souls and remain steadfast in the love of the Lord who loves us forever. And to be faithful, but also patient with ourselves, as we encourage others to be patient with themselves. This was a beautiful balm to my soul. May the Lord Jesus refresh you with a breath of His springtime love!
That is a beautiful thought Melissa…”a breath of His springtime love!” Lamentations 3:22-23: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning, great is your faithfulness.” His love really is an eternal ‘spring’ and we are blessed anew with that love each and every day.
So well put, Linda. Picturesque in the description of how our lives can be. Here’s to the perennials! Meanwhile, stay warm. God’s grip. -Alan
Wishing you a good weekend! The perennials are a happy thing to think about! 🙂
Awesome depiction of our lives and how God is at work in them! 😊
Thank you! 🙂 He is at work, that is for sure!
This was so beautifully written Linda! Thank you for such encouragement that even in winter seasons of our lives, God’s hope is preparing us for spring as we wait patiently on Him to reveal His plans in our lives. What a hope we can always have in Jesus!
Yes! We all must endure the hardships of this life. When we see life through the lens of God’s love, it is as if the floodgates of heaven open up for us. There is no more powerful force than love. It is as scripture says, ‘With God all things are possible.”: Matthew 19:26. When we shift our gaze to the One who created us, and loves us with such incredulous love, we are not held captive by hardship; in Christ, we have been set free.
I agree with so much here, Linda, but feel strong and hopeful again just reading the many truths in your post. I’ve never done winter well; I think my posts from 2018 to 2019 testify to that😖 That winter is over for now, but I know new winters will come – I’m not entirely sure how I will navigate them. Hopefully, your post here and my past experiences will give me all the Light I need!
Winter is hard for many people. I love the seasons, but at heart, I am a true ‘summer person’. Winter gives us time to reflect though. In much the same way, the hard seasons in our lives teach us so much. In the midst of it all, God is an ever constant source of light and support. As we yield ourselves to that light, we grow stronger, day by day.
One thing I learned from your post about coping with winter is to keep busy – not to distract ourselves, but to be suitably busy with day to day responsibilities and duties so that we spend less time fretting and worrying.
And you’re so right that we are quick to soothe and encourage others but sharp and short with ourselves in our own winters.
Yes! We are often the hardest on ourselves! Keeping busy is good; sometimes, a problem kind of sorts itself out while we are working on another thing.
Winter is a challenge for me. But every spring I say to myself, “See? This was worth the wait. And the cold. Patience with faith brings rewards.”
Every season offers something; winter is a quieter time, a good time for planning ahead for the busy months. 🙂 You are right…spring is all the more beautiful when it arrives at long last.
a very joyful and uplifting post 🙂
Thank you! 🙂