Drip, Drip

“I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’”
‭‭Hosea‬ ‭10:12‬ ‭

Icicles!

Drip, drip.

I’ve never been more happy to see them in my entire life.

This winter has been a rough one. Crazy storms, strong winds, icy roads, freezing rain, hazardous commutes to work have all proven difficult.

And the snow.

Snow, snow, and more snow.

Even the old timers will tell you that this winter has brought more snow than we’ve seen in these parts for decades. Hence the excitement over the icicles.

If you are wondering why more ice is good news, then I’ll let you in on the secret. See, this time of year, icicles mean only one thing.

The big thaw.

Daytime temps got warm enough for the snow on the roof to melt.

Melt!

That means winter will eventually lose its foothold, and spring will appear at last!

Icicles also remind me of an important spiritual truth – there is no heart so hard, no sin so deep, no trouble so potent, no pain so severe, no situation so hopeless that God can’t melt it away in His love and gentle care.

Sometimes life traps us into believing that winter will never leave. That we will never get past that obstacle. That we will never overcome that habit, never rise above that barrier, never get that promotion, never conquer that fear, never escape that temptation.

But here’s the truth.

Winter never lasts forever.

Spring always comes. It may be late and it may be a little rough around the edges, but it always, always wins.

Drip, drip.

And while you wait for a warm breeze to blow your way and soften up that heart – yours, or someone else’s – it is best to do the prep work to make sure the big thaw that is coming can have the biggest impact. Pray. Embrace change. Breathe. Open those tight little paws of yours and unwind that neck tension so you are ready to receive the good that is to come.

There will be many many weeks before I can plant my garden.

But those icicles have reminded me that even the darkest winters have an end.

Drip, drip!

Wait patiently for God to move in your circumstances with me?

Father, You delight to shower us with righteousness – but sometimes circumstances freeze us so solid that we just aren’t in a position to grow or harvest a crop of love. Melt us. Remind us that spring is coming, that winter can’t last forever, that You are already at work thawing and melting and softening to prepare us for a wonderful time of growth ahead. Amen.