Sometimes—such as now—I feel like I’m stuck in Narnia. Winter just keeps going on and on, and I don’t mean only literally. “Normal activity,” as I see it, has not yet resumed. Seems like it never will. Maybe it won’t.
Today a repost, because I need it, and maybe someone else does. Even when the winter of our discontent runs overtime and hard, we’d best settle and look up, rather than try to scheme our way out of it, all wily.
Whiteout!
The sky is falling! —in tiny pieces, white crystalline fragments, swirling down so densely they block my view of everything else. I can’t see either heaven or earth—even a few yards down the road. It’s a blizzard!
Sometimes it seems my life’s sky is falling. My spiritual eyes can’t see a bit of heaven—or even my next steps down the road. I’m having a spiritual whiteout.
I love the snow—if I have nowhere to go. I don’t need to see ahead then. I can calmly watch while flakes swirl down in solo dances or tight little groups, swiftly coating the ground in gossamer, then gauze, then deep fuzzy blanket. The sooty road becomes pristine. The trees get dressed in lace. The mud and the clutter of wind-delivered twigs and leaves disappear beneath a spotless veil. Stillness reigns, traffic ceases, people snuggle down in houses, while Heaven’s white pours earthward.
But when I “need” to keep appointments, go places, do things, how different my reaction: tension and restlessness, anxious pleading for the storm to stop! In such a state, I miss the beauty of the moment.
I must realize: Normal activity will resume…later. But now the falling of the sky, slowing life to standstill, is probably just what I really need.
How often in the midst of swirling life our deepest need is to “stand still, and see the deliverance of the LORD,” to “be still, and know that [He is] God” (Exodus 14:13; Psalm 46:10). How often (though we may hate to admit it) having our “sky fall” is the only thing that will bring our noisy hustle-bustle to a halt, our hearts, minds, and souls to stillness. How often only the fallout of a blizzard can cover with white the mud and debris our scurry has churned up, so that we can afterward view the outlines of life in clear simplicity.
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Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him. Fret not thyself… -Psalm 37:7 KJV
[Repost, edited]
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Linked to
Wisdom comes. How many years did we fight against the elements and God in order to try to turn the world our way? He wins!
Yep, Floyd, and if we have finally gotten on His side, we win with Him!
Hi Sylvia! What a great attitude adjustment here! I love snow too, as long as it doesn’t impact my day very much. So I guess I don’t love it all that much… Like the troubles in my life, it comes without my permission. I might as well decide to see it’s beauty.
And we have a lot of beauty here! Lol!
Happy Thursday, Ceil
“We have a lot of beauty here!” I get that, Ceil (chuckle). Yes, you are so right. We make the choice: to mull in our “stuckness” or see the beauty. Looks like you made the right choice.
God bless your weekend!
“stand still, and see the deliverance of the LORD,”
That patient waiting in faith…so simple…yet so hard…
Thanks for sharing, Sylvia!
Oh, Joe, this made me laugh. Yes, He has opened a path for us in the “white sea.” And the sky was brilliant blue today, with sun making all that snow sparkle. Thanks for stopping by to comment.
Fret not even when it snows because it is needed perhaps not you, but needed by someone!
Heh, heh, Hazel. I don’t think anyone right around here *feels* the need for any more snow storms at this point, but God alone knows what we all really need, so you are right. May you have a blessed weekend!
I feel stuck in Narnia, too! I needed this today. Thanks, Sylvia.
Oh, thank you, Sandy. I love to hear that a post has done someone else some good. Blessings on your weekend. It won’t be too much longer: Narnia will thaw! 🙂
This is a great Post!!! We are trying to make the best of the snow, but its getting harder!
Thanks for a Great Post!
Yep, I know what you mean, Julia! If it weren’t so cold this winter it wouldn’t be so bad. We could go out in the snow and play in it! But this is the coldest winter, all told, as far as we can remember.
Warm blessings to you this weekend, just the same! Thanks for visiting!
love this
just.love.this.
Hi, Firefly. You get your share of this white stuff, don’t you? Thanks for stopping to comment.
Good words, Sylvia. I just finished a post about being discontent – yes, due to the weather! It’s a dangerous attitude to have no matter what the reason. You are right, of course, we should be trusting God and waiting on His timing. It is always right. Have a blessed week!
This, I believe, is where “March madness” comes from, is it not, June? Cabin fever, and the rest of it. At times like this it’s worth the effort to keep cranking our attention back to the Maker of these seasons, of year and life, isn’t it? I think of Augustine’s declaration that our hearts are restless till they find their rest in Him. In the bleak midwinter (or late winter, even more so) that restlessness is bound to rise and try to reassert itself, and so…
Taking its every thought captive to Him… And thinking of the hopeful outlook of your name!
I’ve been appreciating the cocooning of this extended deep freeze.
Tucking in and finding pleasure indoors – refocusing on what’s at hand –
His ways. His plans. His purposes.
He is “perfecting all that concerns me”…
grateful!
You’ve taken the right tack, Sharon. Your comment helped me, too, to get back to enjoying the snow the way I had been in the beginning. Gratitude.
Your words and thoughts here really minister to me today, Sylvia. Especially the verse from Exodus. He is speaking that to me too… be still and see His deliverance! Thank you for reposting this!
Prayers for you, Pam, for whatever deliverance you need. I’m so glad this did minister to you.
I love how you bring in the quietness of waiting on God – as we wait in snowstorms. Those are times that really He can bring the stillness that rests the soul.
Thanks for linking to Sunday Stillness.
Blessings and may the snowstorm refresh you and the sun (Son) shine.
Janis http://www.janiscox.com
Yes, Janis. It is so still. Traffic stops, birds are quiet, the snow muffles like a blanket. And His stillness goes beyond that, to rest the soul. It turned out a lovely time, the snow, the stilling, then the clearing to bright blue sky. Thanks, Janis, for commenting, and for your link-up.