Perhaps there are seasons in which we feel on top of the world. Or at least a palpable potential is in our hands. And it’s disheartening when this starts to fade. Everything we once counted on has lost its freshness and inspiration. While there’s grief here we should not give into despair, only give way to winter.
Fall is a season of dying. The days get shorter as nature slows down and prepares for the long winter months. But while we observe this pattern every year, it’s a hard journey for us to take ourselves.
Maybe our dream job is becoming a nightmare but we still fear letting it go. Or we might despair when the passion in our marriage grows cold or we’re no longer as excited to spend time with our friends. Our spiritual fervor might also wane, and the practices that used to give us much life now seem dry.
Whatever it looks like, letting go of the old feels like death, because it is. But it’s the death of winter – a time to reset and renew before our next season of growth.
This is not to minimize the pain and grief of our loss. There was joy and comfort in our summer months. And our world is turned upside down when we can no longer hold on to these things. But let us grieve as those with hope – yes, looking forward to the new life of spring again, but also learning to accept the wisdom of these winter months.
Winter is a time to rest and allow God to work on our souls – bringing us into a deeper relationship with him in ways not immediately evident. And much of the old, even when it’s good, distracts us from this deeper intimacy. God brings us to regular seasons of pruning to cultivate his life in us. And this calls for us to trust him even as things start to appear barren and cold on the surface.
In the end, be kind to yourself as you let go of the old and give way to winter. It is disruptive, but winter is your path to new life.
