Here we are — it’s January and many of you are in the thick of winter. I remember when I moved from Southern California to Oklahoma to go to school; until then, I didn’t fully comprehend the blessing of California weather. There was one day in particular that I went outside and it was probably no more than three degrees above zero, with a windchill factor of negative one million (just kidding, but it was cold!). As I approached my car, there was a thick sheet of ice on the windshield and when I attempted to pry it off, I nicked my knuckle on part of the car and fell to my knees in excruciating pain. In that moment, I remember crying out, “Why I am I here?”

I think that the winters of our life can be this way, too. Maybe you’re unemployed, have a nagging sickness, or are going through a divorce. Whatever it is, when you face something really tough, you often cry out to God, “Why is this happening?” or “Why am I in this season.” While this is completely natural, I want to remind you today that although winters always involve some sort of loss, they are part of life’s much-needed rhythm of rest. Nature slumbers under a blanket of snow so that it can be rejuvenated, just as the human spirit needs a season of retreat in order to gain strength. Like the rings of a tree trunk, the winters of our life make us stronger; they galvanize us and give our soul armor.

Friend, don’t try to hurry through your winter season. Although it is not often pleasant, it is more fruitful and important than you realize. As you embrace the cold, trust God to bring His warmth to your circumstances and His healing and restoration to your heart. He is with you in this time and He is doing something new in your midst today, no matter how barren things look. You can trust Jesus because He will always see you safely through the storm and even the roughest weather. What a wonderful promise!