Understand and Pray Through Your Spiritual WinterSample

Winter Trees

God’s winters help us to face the realities of life. They help us understand our limitations, our brief time on Earth, and our finiteness. They help us understand the physical laws of nature. Nobody can just run and run, sleep too little, eat the wrong food, cram too much into our days, exercise enough, and think it will not have consequences. How quickly and often we forget this. All trees die. And so do people. In summer, when the tree is fully dressed in its green foliage, it is virtually impossible to think of the brevity of the life of the tree.

While we bear fruit, our work grows, and there is progress, money comes in to continue the work; when there is an increase in personnel, turnover is bigger, and more people join our church – when there is much spiritual fruit, then we live and dream and plan as if we will be around forever. Winter helps us understand that we are growing older, that time passes, that a new generation must be trained and equipped, and that the work must be passed on to others because we will not be around forever.

Take Time To Pray

We have to ask the Holy Spirit to show us our limitations. We must ask Him to show us what He wants us to do, and then we must not do more than that – irrespective of how big the need is. Otherwise, we will be in the way of another person God wants to use.

Do not fall in love with your work. Love the Lord. Enjoy what God is giving you to do, but God alone deserves our love.