The Thaw

     It has been a long, cold winter.  Seems like every time we get a day of sunshine, it is followed by 4 days of bitter cold.  It is the kind of weather that wears on you.  It gets your hope up and then throws another challenge in your path.  Pretty soon, hope for Spring turns into a desire just to find a way to stay warm today, get the heating bill paid, and hibernate.  It depresses us.  If we dwell on it, it takes away our desire to move forward.
     Sometimes our relationships can be this way.  Sometimes our relationship with God can be this way.  We can go through times where living for God can be a struggle.  A continual struggle that leaves us out in the cold, day after day.  Some people around us are not joining us as they once did.  We are left to ask the questions of , "Why are we really living this way?"  What about the blessings we experienced?  Where are they now?  Why do I see others around me giving up and hibernating, just hoping that things will change?  Why have they stopped moving forward?  It depresses me.  I have seen God do miracles in the lives of others and in my own life, yet I start to follow their lead and turn inward to myself.  Even worse, I start to think about what others should be doing instead of what I should be doing and I stop moving forward.
     The hardest part is not knowing when the weather is going to change.  But we must realize that sometimes, the weather is not what needs to change.  Sometimes we need to remember where our source of heat and light come from.  Sometimes we need to bundle up, get some wood, throw it on the fire and fan it into flame, releasing the power to bring light into our lives again.  It doesn't matter what the weather is on the outside when the warm glow is emanating from the power of God working through us.  God does not change when things get difficult.  Our approach to Him is what has changed.  And don't forget that we are the body of Christ.  A little body heat built up by working together can get cold muscles and joints ready for exercising our spiritual gifts to God's glory.
     So come out of hibernation.  Start doing the things that God has created you to do as a part of His kingdom.  It doesn't matter what is going on in the world around you.   That is up to the master plan of God.  Our job is to get moving and glorify him.  Don't wait for someone else to come and dig you out.
Pretty soon the winter will give way to the unleashed power and growth of springtime.  Pretty soon the blanket of snow and ice of the world around us will begin to thaw and the glory of God will once again shine!