It was one of those rare warm days here in New Jersey. I determined that I would get outside and enjoy a walk. The wind was blowing but had a southern feel, so it warmed my hands and heart. I am a warm-weather type of girl.
I noticed the running water and the remaining ice as I glanced in the ditch. However, I also saw a patch of fresh green grass. I chuckled at the confused grass, green before its time, and knew it would soon feel the cold bite of winter as the warmth would not last.
How often do we find ourselves in a difficult season? We feel the cold and see the dormant landscape around us. When we are in a winter season, it can feel as though it drags on and on.
During this time, we must not allow our hope to wane. Proverbs 13:12 reminds us that we can become sick when hope is missing. We are to be people who see the grass springing up amid winter. The coldest, darkest day does not have the power to hold back life when walking with Jesus.
When walking in wintry areas, you will notice that the trees appear dead. However, looks can be deceiving! They are not dead; they wait for the right season to burst forth. Proverbs 13:12 concludes with the reminder that when a desire (hope) is fulfilled, it is a tree of life. Trees minister to more than themselves; they may provide a home for animals, food, shade or covering.
When you are in the winter season, be intentional about looking for the signs of new life. Look for the grass that should not be in the frozen ditch. Look at the trees and bring to remembrance the beauty of the various seasons. Nourish the seed of hope that God has placed within you. That seed carries within it the capacity to grow larger and stronger than you can imagine. Remember, all you need is one word from God, a kairos moment, a word from heaven or the arrival of a new season, and everything changes.
Ruth Hendrickson is an ordained pastor, itinerant speaker, ministry trainer and board-certified biblical counselor who has extensive experience in the development, training, and oversight of emotional healing ministry teams, recovery ministries, prophetic ministry, prayer ministries and women’s ministry. In addition, she is a course facilitator for Patricia King Institute and Charisma courses. She writes for Elijah List and Charisma and has a podcast titled Real Truth with Ruth. Through biblically based teachings and practical applications infused with love and laughter, her goal is to introduce people not only to the living God who saves, but also to the God who desires an intimate relationship with each one of us. Her books, Positioned – How to be Aligned & Empowered to Walk in Your Diving Destiny and Everyday Prophetic, will help you grow in your walk with God. Ruth is an avid unsweetened iced tea drinker who loves warm weather, palm trees and beaches.She believes that she should live in the South. However, in the meantime, Ruth and her husband Mark reside in Stockton, New Jersey.
Find her at her website, ruthhendrickson.com, on Facebook: facebook.com/RuthHendrickson.org/ or YouTube: youtube.com/user/RuthHendrickson. Listen to her podcast,Real Truth With Ruth: God’s Solutions for Living, on the Charisma Podcast Network.
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