The last element that is important to get ready for this winter season is your spirit. Have you ever noticed the climate of winter dampening your spirit? When icicles and snow drifts decorate the landscape, I love to tuck myself in with a good book and hot cocoa. I have learned to practice preventive care for my mind and body, but I’m still learning how to keep my spirit from going into a deep freeze during the winter months.
Psalm 74:17 tells us that God set all the boundaries of the earth and created both summer and winter. And Paul writes in Ephesians 3:17-18 that we should be rooted and established in love, grasping the greatness of Christ. These verses remind me that our Creator God gave us winter – not to whine, worry, or waste time – but to REST and restore our spirits (and bodies and minds) from the previous seasons’ activities. We need to use this time to let our roots go deep into the greatness of Christ’s love.
This is the season to do less and enjoy more – to achieve balance between activity and rest. Winter provides longer evening hours for quiet moments and closer communion with friends, loved ones, and mostly, our Savior. We can experience this communion as we connect with and embrace our Creator’s natural world. The stillness of the season gives us opportunity to feel the nearness of God – to hear His heartbeat. Winter’s bareness brings us back to the simplicity of our surroundings and gives clarity of vision without the clutter that usually crowds our lives.
Living for God – through a healthy body, mind, and spirit – allows us to illuminate the cold, dark days of winter, for ourselves and others. I pray that you will greet this season warmly as you rest your inner garden and spend time with the Master Gardener.
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