God in the Garden – The Waiting 

“Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from beginning to end. He did not give up because of the cross! On the contrary, because of the joy that was waiting for him, he thought nothing of the disgrace of dying on the cross, and he is now seated at the right side of God’s throne.

Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬

February. The shortest month in number of days, yet the longest in despair. The frigid winter dredges on and each day the interwoven threads of our happiness, sanity, and energy fray a bit more. What will be left of us come spring? For dear life we cling to the hope that spring is not too far off. 

If curiosity compels a cursory glance at the garden this month, you’ll likely find the path there coated in frost. The only thing the beds are full of are a few hardy weeds and potential. This impromptu garden visit can ignite an exciting anticipation of what’s to come as well as an instinctual longing for warmth, sunshine, and new life. Contradictory emotions emerge and linger: hope, defeat, energy and lethargy, planning and stillness. Frustratingly, February is the time of not yet. 

As we battle the conflicting range of feelings within us and we accept the reality of our own limitations through boundaries beyond our control, though the darkness of the February night outweighs the light of day, we can cling to the promise of another light. The glorious light of God. As our souls desire to create life within the soil, God creates life within our souls. If we fix our eyes on the hope that comes from Jesus, especially during these long dreary days, we can trade the act of producing fruit from our gardens for the gift of producing fruit from our souls.  

Now is not the time to lose hope. Onward we forge, friends. Now is the time for patiently waiting. Soon, with the grace and strength that comes from God alone, we will find ourselves in springtime.