When Winter Passes, Spring Forth.
What will be our heart posture when winter arrives?
It’s 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and I can hear birds chirping, the warm wind softly blowing on my bare face as I step outside the building where I’ve been for twelve hours. To my right, I notice the flowers on the trees are finally blooming, the unmistakable evidence of spring.
As I breathe in the warmth, I try to remember winter. And yet, the memory is faint. Strangely, I can hardly recall what winter felt like, only that it was brutally cold. How quickly warmth melts away the frost, how the light dispels shadows. In that moment, a song comes to mind, Hillsong Worship’s “Seasons.” Its lyrics echo in my spirit, affirming what my heart already knows: seasons come and seasons go, and God is faithful through them all.
Life, too, comes in seasons. We all face winters, long nights darker than we imagined, cold creeping into places we thought were safe, frost biting deep where we are unprotected. And yet, we are called to wait patiently for spring, for the pain and heartache to fade, for the sunshine of life to return. We sincerely look forward to a time when we no longer need to hide under blankets and coats to escape the chill.
These seasons teach us to wait, to endure, and to trust. The Bible does not promise a life laid out on a platter of gold. Jesus said, “In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). His words are not mere comfort; they are a promise. A promise that the winter is not eternal, and hope remains even in the coldest night.
Hard times will come; cold seasons will come. It’s not a matter of if they come, but how we respond. What will be our heart posture when winter arrives in our lives? Can God trust us not to give up on Him when trials arise? Will we stand unwavering in His truth even when our five senses tell us otherwise? Will we continue to worship when prayers seem unanswered, when the silence is deafening? Can God trust us to remain faithful when frost touches our lives?
Psalm 30:5 reminds us: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Yes, weeping may last through the winter, but joy comes with the dawn of spring. Victory comes in the warmth of the sun and the song of the birds. You will rejoice again. You will smile again. You will feel the wind on your face and know that life has returned.
Just as winter never has the final word, whatever seems like the longest night right now is not your final destination. Faith in God’s Word is all you need to advance to the next season. Read it. Meditate on it. Write down the verses that speak to your situation and declare them daily. Let the living Word of God become life in your being. Spring is bound to come once you submit at the feet of the Father and anchor yourself in Him. Let God refine you through the process, so when the warmth of spring arrives, growth, visible or unseen, will inevitably follow.
Dear Child of God, when the winter passes, spring forth. Do not let the coldness of the season deter you from the bloom God has prepared for you. Winter is only temporary, a memory that will soon fade into the past, because the Lord “will restore the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust…” (Joel 2:25).
The restoration God brings is not a return to the old order of what was before, but a step into the newness of who He has called you to be. And when restoration comes, spring forth into the warmth of the new season, for your spirit, soul, and body are destined to flourish.
How are you handling the current winter season of your life?❤️
