Have you ever sat on a beach alone, hearing the waves, feeling the breeze and in the quietness, you feel God? For me, when in nature, I experience and hear God in a very special way. In our backyard we have a very big tree and to me, it is a sign of life.
When spring arrives, I am like a little girl who can’t contain her excitement, seeing the green leaves come out and grow to its full size, which in summer covers the whole tree. I just love the sound of the leaves moving in the wind and whether moving forcefully in a storm or just being quiet on a wind still day, this tree “tells” stories, which for me is none other than messages from God.
During my daily quiet time with the Lord, I position myself in order to see our beautiful tree. In the last couple of months, autumn arrived, and the tree started to shed its leaves. First a few and now at the beginning of winter, the branches are basically bare. Looking at the tree, it seems so dry and lifeless. Being in love with summer, I really miss seeing the leaves, as it also lifts my spirit, even on a rainy day.
This week as I was looking at the tree, I realised that it will only be 3 months until the first leaves appear again. You see, during the time of winter, when it seems like the tree has died, it in fact has only entered a period of rest. That is not all, although processes are slowed down, it is still a time of growth.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 says that there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. Looking at the tree, I realised that just like nature prepares in autumn for winter and winter for summer, so are the days of our lives. We also go through seasons in our lives. We go through times when we are excited and happy. Then again, there are times when we face difficulties and hardships.
We need to realise that in the quiet periods of our lives, when all seems lost and lifeless, there is growth taking place. When we go through challenges and come out the other end, we have learned through experience and that is called growth. During those times, you have been strengthened and when the challenge comes again, you are ready and prepared to approach it differently, even helping others with the same issues at hand.
When things are really going bad in our lives, we often feel tired and even dead inside. I saw this picture that motivated me, and it said that you only see the brightest stars in the darkest skies. Good will come from whatever is happening. We need to stay positive for God says in Jeremiah 29:11 that He only has plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future.
Right now, you might feel that you are going through a winter period, leaves are falling at a great pace and it seems like everything is shutting down, leaving you lifeless and in doubt as to whether the season will ever turn for you again. If this is you, then I want you to become still before God. What exactly does it mean to be still?
According to the online dictionary to be still means, a deep silence and to be calm. You need to become still even when there are no signs of spring yet. The reality is that tomorrow the sun will rise again and at just at the right time, the season will turn and when those green leaves appear, they will be even bigger and more beautiful than last time.
Dear reader, it is inevitable, we will go through seasons in our lives. Just remember that you are stronger than you can even imagine. Rest in the stillness of God and allow God to re-energise and rejuvenate you. When those difficult winter times come, bringing loneliness, hardship and pain, go back to the Word of God and find your strength in His promises, and in time of prayer and worship with Him.
Love in Christ, Princess K