by Lauri Campbell, Affiliation Coordinator
Sometimes we forget that the God who ordered the seasons of the earth can also order the seasons of our lives. SimilarSimilarly to the natural seasons of our world, there are four spiritual seasons of winter, spring, summer, and fall.
Since it’s February and most of us are experiencing some kind of winter in the natural world, let’s take some time to examine the purpose God has for a spiritual winter. You could be walking in this season now or may experience one later.
Farmers know that winter is not the time to plant, but it is the time to begin preparing to plant for the spring. If God has you in a season of winter, trying to produce something new may prove frustrating.
During a spiritual winter, you may experience darkness and unfruitfulness. You can feel like hopes, plans, and dreams are dying. It can seem everyone else is flourishing, qualified, and just better than you.
It’s uncomfortable, even painful, and you long for spring.
Galatians 6:9 says, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
Child of God, you must persevere through a spiritual winter to reap what God has in store for you in a spiritual spring. We can’t skip this season anymore than we can skip December through February.
At times, hibernation sounds really good for this season, but you’re not a grizzly bear! You’re a child of the Most High God, and He’s doing something in and through you. He’s faithful to complete what He started, remember? (Philippians 1:6)
It’s not a matter of if, but when. Spring is coming! Don’t grow weary. Don’t sit this season out.
Use this precious time to press into God. This spiritual winter season is appointed—Divine. It’s ordered by your Creator. It’s part of the plan, not a diversion from the plan. Don’t let the enemy tempt you to believe that you’ll be left here in winter or that you’re walking alone.
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build… Ecclesiastes 3:1-3
We don’t like some of these words: die, uproot, kill, tear down. But they’re Scriptural words. Holy words. Words of sanctification. God often uses spiritual winters to get us to, well…die to self. (Galatians 2:20)
The Holy Spirit may be prompting you to uproot some strongholds in your life. (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)
Is there an area of unforgiveness, bitterness, or disobedience that needs to be killed so you can heal? (Romans 6:6)
Do you have idols you need to tear down so God can build something holy and authentic into your character? (Micah 5:13)
God calls us to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles (Hebrews 12:1-3). Killing off such things allows Him to cultivate holiness and joy in us, dismantle the shame we carry, and truly rest in His presence. We gain strength and stamina for what lies ahead. Learn to embrace the spiritual winter season because God is developing your root system. Don’t reject this time of deep growth that’s beneath the surface but so vital to the fruit He longs to produce in you. Learn what God is teaching so you can move to the next spiritual season.
How you respond to the Lord in this season will determine what you produce in the spring. Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. (James 5:7)