by Ryan Cooper, Counseling Pastor
I love spring! Absolutely love it!
I love the flowers, I love the grass, I love getting outside, I love the fresh smells, I love the rejuvenating rains, I love the warmth of the sun, I love the birds, I love seeing baby animals.
I even kind of like the surprise spring snow storms we have in Montana…
During the winter months, so much of what grows and flourishes is dormant. Not dead, but dormant.
Sleeping. Resting. Waiting.
We often go dormant in winter months as well. We go out less, we stay in more, we eat more, we exercise less, we sit more, we walk less, we see more of ourselves, we see less of other people.
Even if we do go outside, we bundle up and can’t wait to come back inside to warm up with a hot beverage, a frumpy sweatshirt, and a fuzzy blanket.
As cold, dark, and difficult as winter is for many, I believe it can help us think about what God is doing in our hearts. It creates in us a longing for what is coming.
In the winter, we know spring is coming and every year, I am so ready for it!
All of it!
The anticipation of spring in the midst of the dormancy of winter reminds me of what God says to us in Revelation 21:5:
Behold, I am making all things new.
Every spring, we have a visual reminder of the newness that comes. New grass, new flowers, new leaves, new animals, new bugs. Every day, the sun rises bringing with it a newness; a new opportunity, new grace, new mercy, a new chance to walk closely with Jesus.
He is making all things new.
So, this Easter season as we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus, join me in glorifying Him because He is making all things new!
What is your favorite part of spring?
How have you seen God use nature to remind you of the renewal He is working in your life?