I noted at the Raymond Salvation Army store one day a sign. It stated how many days until spring! Nice move. It won’t be long until we will greet one another with the anticipation of springtime.
Concerning the soul, we wish it were always spring; nevertheless, an honest look at our existence tells us otherwise. There are seasons of winter in the heart.
Since “all things work together for good” in the lives of the completely consecrated, even those winter times are woven into the fabric of God’s plan. For instance, I took a train ride from Boston to Atlanta and pondered the winter scenery of those 24 hours viewed from my window. I related those frosty landscapes to what I had learned about the winters of my own soul. Here is what I concluded.
Winters of the soul are REVEALING. I saw backyards littered with tubs, crates, boxes piled high, trikes on end, abandoned cars, clotheslines, forsaken swimming pools, lonely lawn chairs, and barrels of one thing or another. What would be normally covered over by the greenery of spring and summer was now laid bare.
From that train I saw practically all of it. And where the trains travel, that is a lot!
So it is with the soul in winter seasons. Those times reveal our littered backyards, broken-down fences, abandoned projects, wasted promises. During the springs and summers of the spirit, one can cover up fairly easily with the flowers. But when it comes to take stock in winter, it all shows.
Winters of the soul are also REVOLTING. I was on my way to an annual convention. I thought, “Why don’t they plan their yearly get-together in Georgia in the spring so that a train ride would be more pleasant?” The view was ugly. The trees stood unashamedly naked. The rivers coughed up their broken ice slabs. The banks of streams spilled forth the debris of a careless recreational public. The cities struck me as forgotten gardens left to their weeds, cold monuments and potholed alleys.
The winters of the soul can also be revolting, for what they turn up is not always what we think is there. In the springs and summers of the spirit it is easier to tolerate hypocrisy; not so when the branches are bare. Consequently, we must be honest enough with the truth to confront the ugliness and see that it is cleaned up in the power of the spirit.
More positively, winters of the soul can be REFLECTING. From the train window, I was fascinated with the stillness of the world even in the cities. The parks were quiet. The Philadelphia zoo was deserted. The country lanes sported a lone dog or bundled traveler. A forced serenity impressed everything. During those winter days of the soul there are long times for thinking things through, facing up to facts and relating with truth. The giddy hours of “spiritual summers” give way to deepening contemplation.
Interestingly, winters of the soul are also RESISTANT. One thing that especially gripped me when looking from the train was the stubborn hardness of the earth in winter. I would not have wanted to plow one of those fields in February! Once again I marveled at the fact that those stubborn acres would soon be filled with blossoming hay, flowers, weeds, and trees. Could it be? Would that crust actually surrender its abstinence?
The winters of the soul also are hard times, otherwise they would not be winters. They can be difficult going-days of testing, hours upon hours of trial. The sickness seems to be progressing, the disease spreading. The finances are becoming more complex. The situation at work is worsening. The unsaved ones in the household are becoming increasingly indifferent. Face up to it: you are in the wintertime of the heart.
Thankfully, winters of the soul are REVOLVING. They are temporary. We are grateful to God for the four seasons of the year. We need the change, the rhythm. Someone in Atlanta said with pride, “I wish you cold see this city in May!” I agreed, and so in my imagination I projected what those avenues, parks, residential sections, and historical sites would look like in the spring. One thing for certain: I could be assured that God would indeed perform His majestic revolving of the seasons from winter to spring.
So it is with the winters of the soul. God will see to it that winter passes, even the final winter of death. Here is the last word of the Father-springtime! We must continue to believe that the revolving is true. But in the meantime, there are valuable lessons to learn from the winter. Each season has its purpose. Those who are wise discover it. The rewards are worth the exploration.
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