SkyMoms > Parenting Tips, News & Events, Scripture
12/16/20

Winter - Holly Shivers

Winter

A Hillsong Worship song entitled Seasons has been on repeat in our home for a few weeks now. The words are deep and powerful and the truth to the lyrics has me pondering the specific “season” our family is currently in.

It says,

Though the winter is long even richer

The harvest it brings

Though my waiting prolongs even greater

Your promise for me like a seed

I believe that my season will come.

For most of my life, the Christmas season has been nothing but a joyous time of year. My childhood memories of Christmas elicit warm, happy feelings and my early days of marriage and motherhood were filled with new traditions and seeing the magic of Christmas through my children’s eyes.

But the older I get, the more I realize that for so many, the Christmas season seems to exaggerate feelings of loss, pain and grief. And certainly, there has been plenty of that to go around in 2020 (insert eye-roll emoji). So this year, I’m asking God to give me a new sensitivity, a new outlook on this season not just in my own life, but for anyone and everyone I encounter this Christmas.

Winter feels cold.  The trees have no leaves, and there’s not much sunlight. It’s easy to be reminded of dreams that have died, loved ones lost, deep disappointments or hurts we’ve endured. But we must not default into the secular worldview that says suffering is nothing but an interruption. For those of us who are in Christ, there is always meaning.

And if we are willing to wait and endure, the sweetness that can come from even the most difficult winter season is something far greater than a carefree Christmas could ever provide.

Because there is nothing greater in all the world than experiencing the presence of God. Nothing.

When Jesus comes near, you can taste it. It’s that true, lasting joy that we will never know the fullness of until we are finally with Him for eternity.

I believe that’s why Matthew begins and ends his gospel with the promise that God is WITH US (Matthew 1:22; Matthew 28:20). Do you believe this today?

Have you stopped recently to truly ponder the name given to Jesus– Immanuel… God with us? Do you understand the profound significance of that very name? He came to us on that Christmas night, and He comes to you this winter season.

Hillsong Worship concludes with these words:

I can see the promise, I can see the future

You’re the God of seasons, And I’m just in the winter.

If all I know of harvest is that it’s worth my patience,

Then if You’re not done working, God I’m not done waiting!

May you sense Jesus walking before, behind, and beside you this Christmas season. He is IMMANUEL and He is with you…in the wondering… in the waiting… in the winter.

~Holly Shivers

Holly Shivers is the author of I Can Learn the Bible and I Can Learn to Pray. These two children's devotionals are designed to lead you into your #1 most important job: Teaching your kids to know God. Holly lives in Dallas with her husband and four children...all of whom are CRAZY about Sky Ranch!