It seems like clarity and perspective often comes to me in the morning as I’m in the shower. I don’t know if it’s the power of quite, warmth and water or that my mind has not yet become cluttered with the day’s demands or that God is preparing me for the day.
A few showers ago, I was thinking about my state of being. I was aching, tired, somewhat lethargic and discouraged. This experience was not just that morning; it has been with me for several days. At a heart level, it felt reminiscent of the first day of school after summer vacation.
It had been an unusually cold night and morning for September. My thoughts went to the regret of losing summer and entering into winter. I felt my heart going into hunker-down mode.
And then I heard God ask me, “Is this a cold front moving through or a change of seasons?” I wondered if God was talking about the weather or my current experience. Then I realize that God doesn’t do the chitchat about the weather that we do when we can’t think of anything else to talk about. Of course He was referring to my state of heart.
This was simply a cold front that would pass through. With that clarity my perspective changed, as did my approach to the day. I didn’t simply hunker-down, I rose-up to take on the day and try to discover it’s purpose.
Later, Jesus brought this scripture to me:
“Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people), making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil. Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is.” – Ephesians 5:15-17 AMP
Endeavoring to live wisely and purposefully,
Gary
Really timely…..experiencing a cold front right now. Keeps from making any rash decisions which is sort of my tendency. The cold front rolls in and I start thinking….”what do I change,”….”maybe I’m in the wrong place.” guess there are just moments in the war that ebb rather than flow. Thanks for the wisdom Gary!
Charlton, cold fronts seem to be a feature of this weather environment we are in called life-on-earth.
So, how do you know when it’s a change of seasons?
Russell, that’s a profound question. I (try to) default to the belief that whatever I’m going through is a cold front rather than a season. Cold fronts are simply brief interruptions to the season. Seasons change, but last for quite some time. The only answer that I could give to your question is ask God.
Gary, this post is great and timely. I love when you say, “At a heart level, it felt reminiscent of the first day of school after summer vacation … My thoughts went to the regret of losing summer and entering into winter. I felt my heart going into hunker-down mode.”
I have been feeling something similar, but didn’t have the words. Yes! It is exactly like the regret of losing summer.
And Yes, I think for me this is merely a cold front.
Thanks for the encouragement.
Sam
Ya Sam, so many people I’ve talked to in the last 6 months talk about being in what feels like a dry time, a numbness, a distance or unawareness of God. They feel like the can’t get out of it and that perhaps this is now their life experience. This is very familiar to me personally. Perhaps God is training us for something that is coming that will require more strength, more perseverance, more discernment.
I’m thinking we base TNH in Hawaii where the Pacific provides an endless summer 🙂
Hey Gary,
Love the blog, love the book, and all your ministry…
And thanks for sharing this.
I wonder if you’re open to another different but similar interpretation to what God might be saying.
I’ve been hearing for quite a while similar things to what you’ve just shared here. I feel pretty clear though that he’s been warning me about some difficult times ahead for all of us. In fact even these last few weeks I feel like God has been speaking to me about digging really really deep into him right now to prepare me and others to be ready to bring comfort and peace specifically to those who’ll need it.
The image of a coming storm is precisely the imagery myself and others have been seeing. I’m not sure what you and your team are discerning these days – but I thought I’d share it with you.
Yes, I’m with you Tom…which you can see in my reply to Sam. But I do think we have to be discerning / hear God as to whether we are experiencing a brief change in the weather or a crisis – which can be difficult.
I have found myself falling into a hunker down mode lately as well, not just regarding the seasons, but also as an aging 56 year old. And here again, it’s very easy to be fooled by the enemy into thinking your best days are behind you. So I have to go to the heart of God who said, “I know the plans I have for you…and they are good!” If I can truly trust His heart, and I know I can, then I can rest from hunkering down, and do as you did…rise up, take on the future, and discover His good purposes. Great blog!
John, you and I are the same age. Our best and most influential years are ahead of us. It would be a tragedy if we just hunkered down. But, we will weather many more cold fronts, I’m sure.
Gary, I’ve never really understood why there are moments – like those in the shower – of insight and clarity until I read your statement that it may be our “mind has not yet become cluttered with the day’s demands or that God is preparing me for the day.” Thanks for sharing this post!
You’re welcome. I find this a common experience. I’m trying to capture the thoughts that occasionally come to me as soon as I get out of the shower.
” . . . my mind has not yet become cluttered with the day’s demands . . . ” seems to be so true that I recently heard of someone who deliberately takes multiple showers every day, just to experience that lack of other stimuli.
And I believe this is always true shower or not, “. . . or that God is preparing me for the day.”
I also like your above response to John H, Gary: “Our best and most influential years are ahead of us. It would be a tragedy if we just hunkered down.” Re-read Joshua 14: 6-12
Cold fronts, tornado’s and hurricanes
I have had them all
the changing of the seasons can be dangerous exciting thrilling and scary – all at the same time
I am so attuned to the weather – glad to have the shorter term perspective as a temporary or short-term front versus a longer 3 month season
David, I like this: “the changing of the seasons can be dangerous exciting thrilling and scary”. So true.
Gary, God’s timing is perfect with your post. I am one of those who is currently experiencing a dry, numb and seemingly distant time from God (about 6 weeks now). Strangely, this has come after 10 weeks on the mission field in another country in what was one of the most vibrant and fulfilling periods of time with God I have ever had. The dramatic and sudden change has been baffling. As I am currently back home, in a bit of a stand still, and seeking ‘what God has next’ I think your question regarding cold front or season change is absolutely necessary and timely. Thank you for offering your wisdom and revelation.
Wow, talk about a “change in climate” – from an international assignment / mission field to home. I’m sure its a different “weather system” for you. Take care my friend.
Gary, thanks for the scripture from Eph. that puts it all in perspective. Our hearts and minds are so subject to our current invironment and like a book I read many years ago…our emotions are not to be trusted! Thanks again for sharing your reflections and validating that we all go there from time to time. It’s the truth of scripture that brings us back to center.
Al, that’s good. Our emotions are not to be ignored and not to be the core of our understanding and perspective. Scripture our True-North.
Thanks Gary for sharing this. There is great wisdom and a great difference in what you are talking about here. Is amazing how much in life is about perspective and how we see things. I am impacted by the way you were energized as soon as you saw with clarity what was happening. Thank God He is a speaking God who is living and vibrant…
Gary,
I can relate to the clarity of shower power, when without seeking it answers to previous sought dilemmas or problems are unexplicably brought to our conscious mind.
Concerning the seasons I can also relate, since I yearn for basking in the sunshine of summer where you can feel the warmth. Yet in the winter when we go into hibernation from direct sunlight we are forced to draw on reserves of stored sunlight and revelation.
I was encouraged this morning in reading “Jesus Calling as is my habit, however being a nonconformist I’m a few months behind of the actual date. My reading today was from Nov 2.
It said in part “Grow strong in the light of my Presence” ….. “a yielded heart does not whine or rebel when the going gets tough. It musters the courage to thank Me even during hard times. Yielding yourself to My will is ultimately an act of trust. In quietness and trust is your strength.”
As the cold front of winter sets in, I am reliant upon trusting Him to provide the light and warmth to my soul that his summer sun does without asking. I am forced to seek the light within for guidance and not hibernate until the summer sun again shines on my face. I don’t understand it, but it truly seems we need to dig deeper as the season changes.
Thanks for your thoughts that nurture the seeds within our souls seeking spring time.