From Winter To Spring.

This past weekend, we put our clocks forward here in the UK, officially signalling the start of British summer time. For me, this means spring has finally sprung, and this is my favourite time of year.

I sat in the garden with my husband this afternoon, and we listened to the beautiful birdsong. The birds are definitely busy building their nests, and getting ready to welcome their young. At a nearby lake, we will soon be hearing the sounds of baby ducklings and goslings, and we’ve already seen a number of lambs out roaming with their mothers.

Just a fortnight ago, the wind was howling, the rain lashing down, and it seemed as though winter would never end. Just when I was starting to feel a little low and fed up of it all, the Lord has blessed us with a week of glorious sunshine, blue skies, and warmer temperatures. Yes, spring is definitely here. That’s not to say we can’t expect April showers, because I’m sure we can, but there will be more opportunities to spend time enjoying the beauty of God’s creation.

I always get an eager feeling at the start of spring. It’s as though something inside me wakes up, at the same time as certain animals are coming out of hibernation. I feel more enthused, with a fresh dose of energy. I get out of bed with a boing and a bounce, ready to throw open the curtains and welcome the new day, where as in the winter, I often choose to stay under the covers.

Our spiritual walk can sometimes feel like winter moving into spring, for although we know we should always be eager to serve the Lord, we do go through flat times. Sometimes, these are caused by prolonged illness, depression, worries, or just a season where it feels as though everything’s gone wrong. Sometimes, we can’t even explain why we feel unenthused; we just do. Our spiritual winters can feel as though they’ll go on forever, and we wonder if spring will ever come again. Will our enthusiasm ever return, or will we continue to just go through the motions?

Several years ago, my husband and I were blessed with a holiday at a fabulous Christian retreat centre. As is so often the case, the Lord timed this perfectly, as we were going through one of these dry spells in our walk with the Lord. We were still praying and reading his word, but somehow, we’d lost our spark. Life circumstances were weighing heavy, and we needed a change of scenery. God must have known that, because he used 2 dear friends to bless us with this wonderful holiday.

The first night we were there, we went down to the communal area, to sit before the open fire. We don’t see open fires often these days, so it felt like a luxury to sit and listen to the crackling, and feel the warmth on our hands and faces. However, we were disappointed to discover the fire was a little lacklustre. Where we were hoping for heat and light, there was just a glowing ember. That was, until someone came along and explained that the guests are responsible for keeping the fire going, by adding wood stored nearby when necessary. We watched as he fed the fire, and the new fuel fed the flames. The wonderful display of heat, light and sound that resulted was amazing, and we basked in its warmth and beauty. Later, my husband also added some wood, and the fire roared into action.

After we’d enjoyed the fire and the fellowship, we returned to our room, and talked about what we’d learnt. Amazingly, God had spoken to us both in the same way, urging us to add fuel to our spiritual fire, just as we’d witnessed downstairs. We’d brought along our laptop, and some DVD’s by a Christian teacher who was new to us, and as we watched, we began to feel our own spirits reviving.

We left that conference centre renewed, restored, and eager for what God had for us next. Obviously, in the ensuing years, there have been other dry spells, but now we know what we need to do at these times. We don’t always get it right, for we are human, and still learning, but the Lord always seems to find a way of lifting us out of our apathy and rekindling our passion for him.

In Romans 12, verses 11-13, Paul says: “Never let the fire in your heart go out. Keep it alive. Serve the Lord. When you hope, be joyful. When you suffer, be patient. When you pray, be faithful. Share with God’s people who are in need. Welcome others into your homes.”

So, go out there and enjoy the beautiful springtime weather, and let God refresh your soul by remembering to spend time in prayer, in his word, and listening to good solid Christian teaching that will encourage you and build you up in your faith. Then, when you are built up, you will also be able to encourage someone who may be going through their winter season. That’s how the Christian life works – we let others put a log on our fire when we need it, and share with those who need help by rekindling their fires during our stronger times. Paul instructs us in 1Thessalonians 5 verse 11: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”

In all of it, may our glorious Lord have all the praise, because it is only in and through his strength that we can love, serve, and keep our spiritual fires burning.