Spring Is A Time To Hope

Spring is a time to hope.

Those words came to me in late summer. I was about to give birth to Zion. And I was sitting in the living room, when I heard in my spirit, the word,

“Seasons.”

That’s it. And as I looked out my window, at the trees leaves waving in the breeze, and sunlight poured in, I jotted these 4 lines in my journal. Not knowing how they would come to life in the months that followed,

“Summer is a time to flourish,

Fall is a time to surrender,

Winter is a time to rest,

And Spring is a time to hope.”

I remember how I wanted it to stay summer forever. I wanted this warmth, this life, that we squeezed out of each day like juice from an orange–to stay. Because I knew the coming seasons would mean changing, and letting go. 

I knew in the fall, as the leaves fluttered to the earth, I would have to surrender my expectations to the sleepless, upside-down kind of days and nights life with newborn would bring.

I knew in the winter, as the snow floated down into heaps in our yard, and ice covered the tree branches, that I would have to learn the quiet discipline of rest. To allow myself time to heal, and time to be still.

But what I didn’t know was that in the spring, as the flowers still held tight their petals, and the trees held in their buds and leaves like breath, that I would have to learn to hope.

The art of hope.

(It is certainly an art, don’t you agree?)

At the time that I wrote these lines, it was summer, and spring was the furthest season away from me, and I couldn’t imagine what this season would look like.

I remember wondering, “Why will I need hope in the Spring?”

I didn’t know then that the Spring would hold

…a global pandemic.

…months of separation from people I love.

…social distancing.

I didn’t know that we’d be inside for days on end while it rained, and snowed, and it felt like Spring itself would only tease us, but never actually come.

And the days would all bleed into eachother, and so would we.

I didn’t know just how desperately I would need this one thing:

Hope.

It’s a Hallmark-y sounding kind of word. At least, it was. To me.

But now hope is something else.

Something more. Something alive.

Something like these tucked-in tulips. Withdrawn and inward. But quietly getting ready to bloom.

Separate, yet together.

(Don’t they almost look like they are social distancing?)

Yet, firm. Always upward. Always facing wahtever the direction the sun is.

Pointing toward warmth. Facing life. Opening soft to it. Unafraid.

Hope.

Spring is a time to hope.

Nature instructs our souls to hope–

Hope in the Lord.

Watch the budding trees, the blooming flowers, listen to the singing birds.

All creation calling out wildly, declaring His glory.

 

Day after day.

Night after night.

 

Knowing, believing,

“He is faithfully committed to doing everything He has promised.” –Dr. Stephen Yuille

Hope in the Lord.

Jesus himself said to look at the flowers.

Watch the birds.

And trust your Father. (See Matthew 6:25-34)

Because you are worth more than a thousand budding flowers,

and a million singing birds.

And He takes care of them.

And He will take care of you.

So, maybe, just set down the phone. Turn off the screen.

And open the windows. Feel the breeze on your face. The sun on your skin.

Hear the birds singing. Watch the flowers blooming.

The eggs hatching.

The trees budding.

And hope.

Hope in the Lord.

And say,

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
    and in his word I hope;
 my soul waits for the Lord
    more than watchmen for the morning,
    more than watchmen for the morning.” (Psalm 130:5-6)

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How have you been doing during this COVID-19 season of the world? I would love you to leave a comment below and hear what you are learning and thinking about right now. Is it spring where you are? 

Do you find it easy to hope? Or difficult?

If you’ve been struggling (because I know how it can change from day to day) I’d like to pray for you here:

Dear Father,

You know my heart, and all my anxieties. You know my fears. And You know what I am thinking about throughout my days, You know the last thought on my mind before I fall asleep, and You even see all my dreams. You know even when I’m just feeling bored, and restless. I know that my heart is longing for You. But sometimes, I don’t know how to find You. Sometimes, it just feels like there is a thin shield blocking me from this breakthrough. Would you lift that off of me today, Lord? Would you clear away everything that has come between me and You? I know that Jesus has already made a way  through the cross for me to be with You. But please tear down the things in my heart, and the things in this world that distract me from hearing Your voice. Help me, when I go outside, to see Your creation. To hear the birds, and see the flowers, and feel the breeze, and would You stir up hope in my soul? Because I need it right now. I need You, right now, like I have never needed You before. Draw me close to You Lord. I open my ears and my eyes to You. And I wait for you, and I watch for you, like the watchman waiting for the dawn. Let this be the Spring that I dared to hope in You.

For “none who wait for You shall be put to shame.” (Psalm 25:3a)

In Jesus Name, 

Amen. 

I am praying this for you dear one. If this has encouraged you, share it with a friend or family member!

Remember, Spring is a time to hope. Wait with expectation of what the Lord will do. 

So much love,