Many of us feel a sense of let down after the holidays. We put the Christmas decorations away and our hearts are heavy when we realize that the festivities and celebrations are over. On the contrary, January is full of great potential and the promise of new beginnings. This is why I believe that winter is a matter of perspective.

As I’ve shared before, I moved to Oklahoma from California when I was a teenager. It was a huge adjustment for me, especially as I dealt with the bitter and biting cold of winter for the first time. Then came a snow day, and I got to stay home from school. I had never had one of those before, and it was at that point that I remember saying to myself, “hmm, maybe this isn’t so bad.” Another cool thing was that from a big picture window in the back of our home in Broken Arrow, I could see a snowy meadow with a patch of forest behind it. After all the trees in that forest had lost their leaves and looked dead (although they weren’t), the branches would be covered with a layer of ice that was almost an inch thick. They literally looked like ice trees! It was really neat and I used to just sit and marvel at the unique beauty of it.

So, is winter bad or good? Is it beautiful or ugly? Is it easy or difficult? I think you’ll find as you consider and contemplate that it’s really both. As evidenced in nature, although it is dangerous, difficult, and painful, it’s also restful and healing. Even though this time of year is cold and dark, it has its own unique glory and proof of God’s faithfulness.

Friend, no matter what you are facing today, don’t lose sight of the promise and hope of winter. Face the darkness with the knowledge that the Light of the World lives within you, and He will bring His radiance to all of your difficult circumstances. Trust Him even when you can’t see and allow Him to use the cold to sharpen and strengthen your faith. Then, rest in confident assurance that the warmth of spring will ultimately break through, and it will be beautiful!