Ready or not, summer quickly gives way to fall, which is followed close behind by winter. And the barrenness of winter is not generally something we look forward to. And so we try to hold on to summer as long as we can. But there’s wisdom in accepting and learning to prepare for the winter.
We were created for life and we would love to enjoy one endless summer after another. But this is not how life works. And we must also endure many seasons of loss, disappointment, and waiting.
While we know this, each winter still tends to come as an unexpected and unwelcomed guest. It’s not a season we want to deal with or even feel ready to face.
But resisting and complaining doesn’t make it go away. It’s best to accept it for what it is and faithfully prepare for what is ahead.
Part of preparing is storing up nuggets of joy for the long winter months. Perhaps this is being more intentional about connecting with friends, drinking deeply in times of celebration, or opening our gift of memory and remembering all the good God has blessed us with.
And it also includes allowing time for deep rest. Winter is not a time of business as usual. Many things might seem barren and undone. But this is okay and simply part of winter.
And maybe the most important thing we can do to prepare is simply to remember the promise of spring.
Winter doesn’t last forever and a new spring will eventually bloom.
As such, we don’t have to desperately hold on to the summer that has passed. We’re free to let go as we enter into winter with an enduring hope. Spring will come again, in this life or the next.
In the end, winter comes. And this is okay. Prepare your soul for the dark days ahead and remember to live in hope. It won’t always be this way and spring will come again.
Photo by Sana Ullah on Unsplash
