Embracing the Season of Winter - Part 1
Sometimes we enter deep, long seasons of Winter. It could be due to our environment, a pandemic, or at times, the result of our personal choices. In this blog, I’d like to share about a very recent Winter of mine, one that lasted almost seven years and was a direct consequence of my decisions. And if I’m to be completely honest, I’m still working through coming out of Winter completely.
About six years ago, I knew I was supposed to step away from my full-time job as vice-president at a medium-sized nonprofit organization. Despite knowing this, I clung to the security of my job. Financially, we were thriving, and I couldn’t envision the next step. I chose the secure path over the path of faith. At the beginning of our marriage, we committed to living by faith, but this time we abandoned that commitment.
Choosing the wrong path (disobedience) led me into burnout. By the end of the third year, I was in deep burnout, feeling like I was trapped in a never-ending winter. I had given up my purpose for security. Thankfully, God's calling is irrevocable: "for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable" (Romans 11:29).
With the help of a leadership and life coach, I rediscovered my purpose. It hadn’t changed, but the way it was to be lived out had evolved. It was the new iteration that God was calling me to.
Winter, I learned, is not just a season of cold and dormancy but also a time for rest, planning for the next harvest, and doing needed maintenance on equipment. This applies metaphorically to our personal seasons of Winter as well. We should embrace rest, begin dreaming and planning for the future, and focus on personal development and maintenance.
Rest
Rest is essential for our lives. God has built rhythms into our daily, weekly, and annual lives while providing additional times of rest and celebration throughout the year. In the same way, during our personal Winters, it’s crucial to embrace rest. For me, taking the time to rest helped me recover from burnout and allowed me to regain my energy and focus. I stopped all non-essential activities, reduced my workweek to forty hours and began the difficult work of resting. [I am grateful for my employers recognizing the burnout and being part of the solution. They helped source the leadership and life coach in addition to holding me accountable to the work plan.]
Jesus invites us to rest in Matthew 11:28-29, where He says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” These verses remind us that rest is not just a physical necessity but a spiritual one. It’s a call to find peace in Him, to lay down our burdens, and to find renewal in His presence.
Hebrews 4:9-10 also speaks to this rest: “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their own work, just as God did from His.” This passage emphasizes the spiritual rest we find in God, mirroring the rest He took after creation. In our Winters, God calls us to cease from our striving and to trust in His provision and timing. Embracing this rest means trusting God to handle the outcomes, allowing us to recharge and prepare for what lies ahead.
Dreaming
One of the hardest aspects of burnout for me was when I stopped dreaming. By nature, I am a dreamer. Staying in my position forced me to embrace a maintenance role over a development role. The longer I stayed out of my sweet spot the less I dreamed until I no longer dreamed but just survived. I was miserable inside and to those around.
But as I rested, I began to dream again and regain my vision. Proverbs 29:18 (TPT) says, "When there is no clear prophetic vision, people quickly wander astray. But when you follow the revelation of the Word, heaven’s bliss fills your soul." This scripture highlights the importance of vision in guiding our steps and inspiring our actions. It felt like my heart began to live again.
Winter provides the perfect time to explore these dreams without the pressure of immediate action. It’s a season where we can seek God’s guidance and clarity, allowing Him to reveal new visions and rekindle old dreams. What vision is God calling you to? In this season of rest, allow yourself to dream again. Spend time in prayer and reflection, asking God to impart a fresh vision for your life. Dreaming is not just about lofty ideas but about aligning our hearts with God’s purposes.
Next Time
As we embrace the rest and rekindle our dreams during this Winter season, we also need to prepare for the practical steps that lie ahead. Planning and maintaining our equipment are crucial as we get ready to transition into the next season. Let’s explore how these steps are vital for a fruitful future.