Seasons of the soul

We often call it the "winter of our discontent", depression. As I look out at the alien May landscape, I think about the philosophy of this statement. Winter is a time when food is buried, the landscape is foreign, and it is cold and inhabitable outdoors. Do we truly walk through the same when our souls are troubled?

The truth is, God has never left me alone in the snow. He offers me a house to live in, even when I am at my darkest moment. He turns the furnace on and warms the floors. There are slippers by the door when I arrive from the cold. A hot pot of soup simmers on the stove. The fireplace is roaring.

The only question is, will I walk into the brightly lit house on the hill, or choose to wander alone in the drifts? Sometimes it as though I cannot see the lights of home for the weeping. He has been faithful, on those days, to bind my wandering soul to His, come out in the snow Himself and lead me by the hand. I remember vividly a sermon at a funeral when I was a child, taken from Psalm 116:

For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. (v. 8)

As faithful as He is to send the snow falling in winter to water the frozen earth when it thaws in spring, so He has provided shelter from seasons of the soul for all those who trust in Him. He leads us, delivers us, saves us, loves us. Even at our ugliest and most unlovable. When the world turns it's face and hides from our distress, unable to bear our pain any longer, He is there, quietly, to reassure and protect, weep with us and rescue us.

How thankful am I for His faithfulness! How blessed am I by His love.

"Brave"