4 minute read
JOY BRINGER
Season BOWERS
Joy in every season - Winter
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These words were on a large piece of yarn art hung on the wall of my childhood home. Growing up with the name Season wasn’t easy. Kids can be cruel but adults aren't much better. It wasn’t until I was in my teens that my mother shared with me that my name came from Ecclesiastes 3:1, “To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven.” She explained how I came at just the right time in their lives.
My name actually means “appointed time” and it’s helped me recognize the inevitable - seasons change.
Natural seasons change four times throughout each year based on the earth’s revolution around the sun. Each season has its own unique purpose and characteristics. We know to expect heat and sun in the summer and rain in the spring. While very different, the outcomes of each season greatly depend on the previous season.
Winter is known for its short, dark days. The trees are bare and the multicolored beauty of the rest of the year is replaced by greys and browns. The cold often brings snow and ice, limiting our options and leaving us looking for warmth and comfort. The farmer uses this time to rest and plan ahead for the next season. Many animals hibernate and survive off of the stored up food from the previous season.
Just like the changes in nature, we experience spiritual seasons in our lives. They change based on our circumstances, relationships and our connection to the Son. If we are not aware of the season we may miss the invitations to plant, water, rest, or go out in search of new territory. It’s also possible that we may be expending extra energy trying to do these things without results because it’s just not the right time. When we recognize what spiritual season it is we can look for Jesus who will help us understand the assignment. This is the best way to find purpose and joy in every season.
Spiritual winters often feel bleak. They are dark times where we wonder if the Lord has abandoned us. We can find ourselves wandering hopelessly in the wilderness. In these times it’s often difficult to hear the voice of the Lord and we may feel as if our prayers are not being heard, or worse, ignored. It may seem as if we too have lost our leaves and are left barren and vulnerable.
Winter came hard for me in the summer. Instead of enjoying the sun and fun outside, I felt the cold, bleak, wilderness of winter. While I trusted that the Lord was with me, I couldn’t hear him, feel him, or see what He was doing. Everything I had prayed for, planned for, and attached my hopes to fell apart. Even the summer sun couldn’t warm me up. I was numb from the disappointment and sadness. I wandered lost and confused in a winter white out. Even though I couldn’t see it or feel it, I knew the Lord was doing something. I needed to know. I needed my joy back. “Tis the Season,” He reminded me, “Not to be jolly, but to rest. To settle in for a long winter’s nap.”
In a season of bleakness, it is often our inclination to hustle, to plant and cultivate to fill the void. But the void is vital. Winter is a time for rest. After an intense harvest season, the farmer uses the winter to catch up, to rest and to plan for the future.
Joy in every season requires the awareness of the Son. Jesus is always with us, extending an invitation to follow him. He knows exactly what we need and when he leads, he doesn’t leave. The Lord was inviting me to hibernate, to accept the season I was in and not hold myself to expectations of a different time. Acceptance is hard for me. I have associated it with defeat. But God graciously reminded me that each season has great purpose. Accepting the winter would allow me to find purpose and joy.
It took some time, but once I stopped looking out the window into the seemingly barren and frozen world around me, I accepted the invitation from the Lord to cuddle into His loving arms and sit by the fire. I settled into a new place of intimacy and rest. There were things the Lord wanted to heal. I had been through a lot. I didn’t realize that there was a pile of pain and avoided issues that needed to be addressed from the previous seasons.
In the spiritual winter we are invited to shift our priorities from work and productivity to rest and receiving. It’s here where we can confide in the Lord, reflecting on the past season, and even dream and plan for the season to come.
My appointed time of winter revealed so much. My purpose was to be a loved child. My joy was the nearness of Jesus. He held me as I rested and listened as I told Him my fears, pain, dreams and desires. Winter’s joy looks different than the other seasons. It’s quiet and peaceful and glistens with hope.
If you are in a spiritual winter, remember that you are not alone; the Son is near to keep you warm. While there may not be obvious growth and color on the surface, this season is intended to strengthen you, building your resilience and preparing you for what’s ahead.
Winter won't last forever. Seasons change. Spring is coming.
Joyfully,
Season Bowers
Season Bowers
Pastor, Author, Radio Host, Joy bringer 619-807-8509 Follow the joy at seasonbowers.com Instragram, Facebook
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