Wellbeing in the Winter Season
“It was You who set all the boundaries of the earth; You made both summer and winter.” Psalm 74:17 (NIV).
As we contemplate creation, we see there is incredible, perfect precision in how God designed all things. Seasons are part of God’s creation. On these cold mornings it is evident that the winter season has hit. But before we unpack the idea of Wellbeing in the Winter Season, it is worth a moment’s reflection in Science 101.
How incredible is it that the earth makes a yearly journey around the sun; taking 365.24 days to complete this orbit?! It is equally extraordinary to realise that the earth’s axis is set and tilted at exactly 23.5 degrees. When the earth’s axis points towards the sun in a specific hemisphere it is summer. When it points away from the sun it is winter.
Although Science has so much to teach us about creation, it is God who reveals that He is the one who sets the boundaries of the earth. He set the earth on its 23.5-degree tilt and He sets the movement of the earth around the sun to create the seasons.
At this point in the southern hemisphere of the planet, Australia is in the winter season.
As I have pondered the incredible immensity and magnificence of God as revealed in creation, I realise that seasons are not only planetary but are also part of our humanity. King Solomon speaks of the seasons of life in Ecclesiastes 3. God moves us through seasons and we experience transition. God intends to sustain our wellbeing in every season of life.
Wellbeing in the season of “winter” is where we now turn our thoughts.
The winter phase of life is not always perceived as positive. The winter season of life is often described like the physical season. The full bloom and coloration of the summer and autumn seasons fade, the leaves turn and fall to the ground, branches become bare, there is less light each day, the cold sets in and we shiver and chatter. The question is, can we still flourish in these winter seasons when the warmth and light of a season of thriving, growth and expansion begins to fade? The answer is yes! Wellbeing in the winter season still remains an opportunity to flourish. It simply means we have a different experience, a different perspective and an adjusted way of navigating.
Wellbeing always begins and ends with God. As the earth orientates and moves around the sun, so we as humans orientate around God. If we remain orientated towards God, anchored in His Word and connected to a Christ-centred community and follow good practices, wellbeing in the winter can be a time of strength.
Winter seasons of life are just that; a season where God remains at work even when the light of the sun is not shining as brightly, things feel bare and the cold presses in. In the summer season of life, we often get to “burst out of our skin” which is one expression of wellbeing. But in the winter season of life another expression of wellbeing is to “shed old skin” and anticipate the new. Shedding our skin or putting off the old is an opportunity for growth as we put on the new self as described in Ephesians 4:22-24. The “new” is always patterned after Jesus because of His grace and forgiveness. This is a picture of our wellbeing. It becomes a season and space we must learn to sit in and thrive simply because God is leading us through a cold or different season and into a new season to come.
It is therefore important to embrace the fact that seasons don’t define us. God does! He uses each season of life to shape us into Christlikeness by restoring us to our original creative purpose. Going through the winter season gets us to the spring and then the summer. It is good for our wellbeing. Just as the seasons of creation are precise and intentional, so too is God’s plan to maintain our wellbeing in the various seasons of life; especially the winter.
There are four important things about wellbeing in the winter season:
Wait – wait on God. Psalm 37:7 says, “Quiet your heart in his presence and pray;
keep hope alive as you long for God to come through for you. And don’t think for a moment that the wicked in their prosperity are better off than you.” (PTP). Our wellbeing is always connected to our capacity to wait on God. Waiting and waiting patiently is not always easy. But it is a stance of trust and belief in the sovereignty of God in all of life from the greatest aspects of life to the most minute detail.
Wage War – Sitting in the winter season and waiting patiently on God is not equal to inactivity. Waging war on the enemy in a “cold” and difficult season is both part of our struggle and our victory. Waging war is a stance of victory in Christ. Waiting and waging war is a unique relationship and a balance. We go after the battle in the name and authority of Jesus and we wait on God for His miraculous outcomes. He is Lord and He is always ahead of us winning the war on our behalf. We trust Him wholeheartedly with every outcome, in every battle. Our wellbeing is strengthened in the waiting and the waring.
Wellness Offensive – We need to be offensive with our wellness in the winter season for our whole being; body, mind, soul and spirit. Wellness offensive is a stance of responsibility as we partner with God. Being on the front foot in the winter season of life will protect our entire being. We are one being and every part affects the other. Go hard after your spiritual wellness. Read God’s Word, read a new book, stay connected to your church community, listen to a podcast of your favourite speaker, meet with your mentor and listen to life-giving worship songs. Worship in the winter season is a deal breaker and keeps us focused on God. Go hard after your physical wellness. Keep that exercise program going, eat nutritious food, stay warm. Go hard after your emotional and psychological wellness. Engage with a Christian mindfulness program, maintain your support base and spend time with family and friends, meet with those who will help and encourage you, pursue your passion or interests, maintain boundaries, and stay active. Wellness offensive means we don’t drop the ball or let our guards down in the winter season of life.
Watch – watch for the spring; the next season. Watching is a stance of expectation and hope for what God will do. The spring and the summer seasons will come. It is the pattern of God’s design. Knowing the winter season of life will come to an end gives us hope. Being in relationship with God gives us immediate hope as we watch in expectation as God works for us and for our best.
In concluding our thoughts, we are reminded that our wellbeing in the winter is bound up in the truth that God is always in control. He wants our best and expects us to wait, wage war, be on the offensive for wellness and to watch for His mighty hand to accompany, sustain, protect and deliver us through the winter and into the spring and on to the summer. Whilst ever we are in relationship with God, it is possible to flourish in all seasons and especially when we remember it was God who set all the boundaries of the earth; He made both summer and winter.
May you be blessed as you learn to sit in the winter season and flourish as God intends
Tina Lamont