When We Long for Spring
In life, it may feel like the snowstorms are endless.
“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
– Psalm 34:1, NRSV-CE
I long for spring.
Yet, I also love winter.
I love the fresh sparkling snow on a cold, crisp morning, but the gray, rainy days that follow a thawing of snow can be long.
I love waking up to a frozen yard and a pink, mountain horizon, yet the icy roads that follow can be treacherous (see my post, Icy Coastal Morning for how an icy road reminded me of my walk with the Lord!).
Winter is beautiful, yet it is always wonderful when spring finally arrives. When the warm days begin to show up and the sunlight stretches into the evening hours, it feels like we are coming out of hibernation. As the seasons slowly change, there is beauty to be found in the transition.
Where I live in the Pacific Northwest, we have what we call “Fake-Out Springs”. The weather warms and daffodils start poking up, only for a layer of frost to come a few days later. It will seem as if spring is upon us, but then the temperatures drop and winter shows its face again. It can be quite hilarious, yet confusing to not know what the weather will do.
“Should I plant my bulbs now?”
“What should I wear today? I am cold now, but it is supposed to warm up later.”
Even though the weather changes, the seasons change, and my mood changes, I can still choose to continually praise the Lord. The book of Psalms says: “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34:1, NRSV-CE). In all things, gratitude can be found.
Even when I do not feel like giving thanks, when my mood is down, and the weather is gray, God is there.
It is important to continually offer up praise to Him: the Creator, the Author, and the One who knows what is going on in our restless hearts.
He, “ . . . is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1, NRSV-CE). When I read this verse, what comes to mind is a snowstorm on the side of a mountain, and God is like the shade under a tree canopy, where we can take refuge from the storm. As the snow continues to fall, we can find warm safety under the Lord’s protection.
In life, it may sometimes feel like the snowstorms are endless. You may be turning to the Lord constantly for refuge. God is our loving Father, who we can run to daily.
In the valleys and in the mountains, we can praise Him continually.
So, when we long for spring amid the heavy winter storms, take refuge in the Lord’s embrace.
And when the snowstorm settles, there is still beauty in the sparkling snow.
In Christ,
Lauren
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The Seasons of the Spiritual Life
“Our steps are made firm by the Lord when he delights in our way; though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, for the Lord holds us by the hand.” - Psalm 37:23-24, NRSV