A well know writer, William Shakespeare once wrote of The winter of our discontent, alluding to it’s cause as the discontentment of our wintry hearts. The thought was an observation associating winter with death. Yet winter does not belong to death, although the outside appearance in winter may look that way…..beneath the snow and frozen ground the grass is alive and its roots are growing, the trees are preparing for a bursting forth at the right moment. Winter could be described as a spring too weak and feeble for us to see that it is truly living. The cold does for all things what the gardener sometimes has to do for the trees, prune them, prepare them so they might bear more fruit. Winter is in truth the small beginnings of spring.
Isaiah 61:11 “For as the earth brings forth its bud, As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.”
We each face obstacles and occasions in life that might leave us wounded, afraid, defeated or simply overwhelmed. These seasons of bleakness or coldness, seasons without any visible growth can be seen as times of fruitlessness, however God is still moving in your life!! Just because you can’t see it or feel it, He is still at work. Find the opportunity to praise Him in the midst of your wintry season and feel the warmth that comes from His presence in your life. God loves you and He will cause His righteousness to spring forth before you if you will praise Him!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I will praise You in the middle of every situation that I face. Through every season I will praise You!