was not prospering when I thought I should be.
However I recently read a description* of the seasons that began with winter, a time when roots spread below the surface in preparation for the future. The author pointed out that there is no harvest during winter. The hard work of planting begins in spring, then summer is characterized by lots of growth and attention, but with minimal harvest. Finally, in autumn there is plenty of harvest achieved with less effort.
I'm not sure our physical environment need be inhospitable for us to experience "winter" in our lives. It can be a time when, try as we might, nothing grows. Or when our enthusiasm or energy are weak. When we are dependant for our provision. The lack of visible results can cause self doubt, and blame from others may cause embarrassment.
Take heart if you find yourself in a period of winter. Spring comes, but like other seasons cannot be forced. In the meantime, it helps to accept that winter happens. Growth beneath the surface prepares us for spring, while kindness comforts those whose lives seem on hold. Job 5:26 NIV says "You will come to the grave in full vigour, like sheaves gathered in season." Although death may seem imminent during winter, the person in this scripture lived through it and went on to feel vigorous and reap a harvest before they died. So we have scriptural support that winter can indeed be the beginning of a spiritual journey, and our best days could lie ahead.
* p. 115-116, "Be Yourself, Discover the Life You Were Meant to Live", by John Mason, Baker Publishing Group, 2011.
