The Worth of Winter

For hundreds of years, the Roman calendar (which we still use today) consisted of only ten months. This was because the winter season was not considered worthy of noting on the calendar, because nothing grew during that time. Eventually January found its way onto the calendar, but you would probably be hard pressed to find very many people who would list it among their favorite months. As I write this blog it is a balmy 31 degrees outside, and just the right weather for catching pneumonia.

Even though January, and the winter season may not be the most climatically pleasing, it is not without its greater purpose and worth. An old, mountain proverb puts it bluntly, “A green Christmas makes a fat graveyard.” The cold of winter serves an important role in both eliminating and replenishing certain things in our ecosystem.

Spiritually speaking, winters of difficulty and trial are not pleasant or easy to endure, but they are often more productive than seasons of ease. “The American Spurgeon”, T. De Witt Talmage (1832-1902), said:

“I tell you we need the storms of life as much as we do the sunshine. There are more men ruined by prosperity than by adversity…It was out of Dante’s suffering came the sublime “Divine Comedy,” and out of John Milton’s blindness came “Paradise Lost,”…out of David’s exile came the songs of consolation, and out of the sufferings of Christ came the possibility of the world’s redemption…” (New Tabernacle Sermons)

You may be experiencing winter in more ways than just the temperature outside. It could be that along with sunshine of summer, you are looking forward to the warmth of better days personally and spiritually. If so, just “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage (Psalm 27:14).” Before you know it, January will be June. In the meantime, don’t miss the worth of winter. God will do things in the winter that He just can’t do any other time of the year…or in your life.