Winter Growth

It’s happening beneath the surface, even if it’s hard to see now.
You are likely familiar with the adage, “If March comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb.” I would imagine that is the hope of many of us, as March still feels very much like winter with the decent snowpack on the ground. With the forecast of additional wintery accumulation, one would not be out of order to ask, “Will spring ever come?”
Yet we know that it will. It always does. Spring always follows winter, summer follows spring, fall follows summer, and the seasons come and go every year. The length, intensity, and roller coaster ride of each one can vary, of course, but we can rely on the regular pattern of the four seasons.
It is helpful to remember these objective realities when this winter, in particular, may be testing patience to see sprouts of life emerge from the soil. So, I have often wondered what the purpose of winter was for the natural world. Spring, summer, and fall are easier to see what is happening with times of planting, growth, and harvest. But what grows in the winter?
While the trees and perennial plants around our yard are not doing much in their current state, there is more than meets the eye. First, the excess sugars made during the summer are concentrated in the plant’s cells, which work like antifreeze to keep water from damaging the cells when it freezes. Second, the roots below the ground are still developing and storing starches until warmer weather returns.
The Bible uses many illustrations from both agriculture and horticulture. In one instance, in part of Jesus’s last discourse with his disciples before going to the cross, he points to the hills of vineyards. He tells his disciples that he is the vine and they are the branches (John 15:5). He tells them that if they abide in him and his words and teachings, they will bear fruit.
Now there may be times like harvest when your life is filled with good fruit and obvious blessings you share with others. But what about those seasons of hardship that seem to stifle the growth or change you want and feel like winter?
Paul also uses horticultural language for God’s work of bringing in new believers in Romans 11, which is like grafting branches into a healthy olive tree. He reminds the new believers that they are the branches and solely rely on the root of God’s grace. “You do not support the root, but the root supports you.” (Rom. 11:18b). God is the source and foundation.
Many of the changes and growth in our lives will not always be noticeable or immediate. So when facing difficult seasons, trust the deep roots of God’s eternal promises found throughout the Bible. Like knowing spring will follow winter, we are also assured around this time of year that Easter follows Good Friday.