I hadn’t even known I was in winter. I was producing a lot — Sunday School lessons, women’s ministry events, missionary newsletters, not to mention three meals a day for my family — so how could my soul possibly be frozen? Then, a shift. A wake-up call. A crack in the ice that told me my heart was nearing a change. In Alaska, they call this breakup. The thick river ice, once a highway for snowmobiles, literally breaks up and flips completely over to begin its journey to the ocean. It’s the official signal for spring, regardless of the calendar date.
When my wintering soul began its breakup process, I at first mistook it for a breakdown. And it could have been, but for God. When He starts waking and shaking things up inside it can be a painful process, but if we tune into the work His Spirit is doing and join Him in tilling the packed earth of our hearts, new growth will surely follow.
If winter is marked by silence, then spring is marked by noise. Particularly, the voice of the Lord. God is never silent, but in winter He is harder to hear. And while you may have been in a season of rest or, like I did, continued to push through in order to meet expectations during the barrenness of winter, spring will compel you to get up and get your hands dirty. God calls to you almost audibly in spring. You can resist it or ignore it, telling Him, “I like my armchair by the fireplace thank-you-very-much,” but you’ll be missing one of the greatest opportunities for personal growth and planting in His kingdom.
Springtime is an invitation from the Lord to sow seeds.
“Vindication. Restoration. Sanctification. Emotional renewal, physical renewal, moral renewal: these herald spring. They’re what spring produces in rich profusion. They are gifts and they are invitations. The opportunity spring provides–to grow things in abundance–can be missed or seized.”
Mark Buchanan, Spiritual Rhythm p. 87
Is God calling to you? Stirring things in your soul and bringing buried longings to the surface? Inviting you to take a tenuous step of faith?
Don’t miss the invitation to join Him in springtime renewal, no matter how messy this whole digging and planting process might be.
INDICATORS OF A SPIRITUAL SPRING OF THE SOUL
- You’re being awakened to needed changes in your life
- You have a renewed hunger for God
- God’s word is fresh and exciting and personal
- Something new is on the horizon of your life (A word of caution here: Often after a big transition the springtime excitement heads straight into the bitter struggles of winter. Don’t be alarmed if it takes a few seasons longer than you’d like to start seeing fruit in a new area. This seems to be a normal part of the process, just like how a tree that is transplanted will take a dormant season above ground to grow strong roots below ground.)
- You’re going through significant healing, perhaps from past wounds or even a physical ailment
- Energy! Enthusiasm! You actually want to serve God
- Buried dreams are resurfacing and you sense an invitation from the Lord to explore them again
How many of these indicators of spring resonate with you right now?
If you’re not in the renewal of spring or the abundance of summer, remember that the sorrow of autumn and the silence of winter are what make spring and summer possible. Don’t rush through your spiritual seasons. Find whatever deep work God is doing in your soul and simply meet Him there.
KEY SPIRITUAL PRACTICES FOR SPRING
Any gardener can tell you, newly planted seeds need the right conditions to grow. Here are a few spiritual practices that will help water your springtime growth:
- Lectio Divina. This ancient way of engaging with the Spirit through His living word will come alive in spring. In short, choose a passage and read it three or four times. On the first reading, let it wash over you, perhaps imagining yourself in the text. The second reading offers a chance to listen for what God highlights to you from the text. During the third reading, use words from the text to converse with God in prayer. As a long-time student of the Bible, I’ve found this to be a deeply personal way to engage with the Word with more of my spirit than merely my head.
- Journaling. If God is speaking into your life, write it down! We think we’ll remember that verse our friend prayed over us or the dream we had or the gut-wrenching prayer we prayed … but we won’t. Unless we write it down. There’s a lot of freedom in how this is done and what journaling looks like for you, so make it your own in a way that is stress-free and enjoyable.
- Spiritual friendship. If you don’t already have a friend or two you talk with regularly on a heart level, this is a great time to find some. Basic guidelines: Each person shares what God is doing in her life for about ten minutes. Uninterrupted. The others listen prayerfully to the person sharing and can ask questions at the end but should refrain from giving advice. End by praying for one another and choose the next time you’ll meet (weekly is good). It’s okay if it feels a bit formal or awkward at first. Keep going and you’ll find a place of safety and support that can nurture the tender growth happening in your soul like little else.
- Engage in a new ministry. Spring is a great time to explore and be brave. You may find an untapped passion or an unexpected friendship by volunteering at the food bank, joining the Sunday morning tech crew, going on a mission trip, or leading a group on neighborhood prayer walks.
- Plant something real. Creating a physical reminder of your spiritual reality is often helpful. Whether in a pot inside or in your neglected garden outside, try to grow something from a seed. Water it daily, pray over it, and as you do, pray for wisdom to tend your own heart well too.
BOOKS FOR SPRING
- Rhythms of Renewal: Trading Stress and Anxiety for a Life of Peace and Purpose is a great read for some practical changes to make to your habits and routines. Rebekah Lyons describes how to walk in the life-giving rhythms of rest, restore, connect, and create.
- Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: Unleash a Revolution in Your Life in Christ by Peter Scazzero should probably be required reading for anyone in a leadership role. Or anyone who is serious about letting God do deep, transforming work in his life. Maybe just anyone in general. It’s a bit to wade through, but worthwhile.
- Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God. Mark Batterson removes the mystique and just gets real on the many ways we can tune into God’s voice and activity in our lives.
A SCRIPTURE FOR SPRING
“My beloved spoke and said to me, ‘Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me. See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.”
Song of Songs 2:10-13
Can you hear His call? You are Christ’s darling, His beautiful one. It’s time to arise and go with Him.
A SPRING PRAYER FOR YOU
Sweet Jesus, the lover of our souls, You are resurrection and life! You are springtime. Thank you for magnifying your voice, shouting for our attention, pursuing our hearts. Give my friend courage to respond to your call to awaken, to arise, today. Bring about a full season of healing and restoration, and show her where to plant and nurture seeds in her spiritual and physical life. Her heart has been cold and dormant long enough. Breathe on it. Thaw the places that have iced over and guide her to green meadows, quiet waters, and gentle restoration. Bring others around her to encourage and protect her tender growth. We hear you, Lord. We long to hear you more. Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.
Amen.
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