There is a specific kind of surrender that happens when the temperature stays below freezing. You look at the driveway, then at the shovel, and you realize that no amount of grit or effort will change the fact that the ground is locked tight. This was my first lesson in wintering: some things cannot be fixed; they can only be endured.
For a long time, I’ve approached my own 'frozen' seasons as if they were a light dusting of snow that I could simply brush away if I worked hard enough. But lately, life has felt more like that layer of ice beneath the powder. It’s heavy, it’s cold, and it’s completely indifferent to my schedule. I’ve realized that I’ve been trying to 'thaw out' before the sun is actually up. I’ve been trying to clear a path when, perhaps, God is telling me to stay exactly where I am.
It’s easy to view winter as a "dead" season, but in God’s design, nothing is ever truly dead; it’s just dormant. He created winter for a reason. The earth requires this season of deep cold and stillness to reset and cleanse. Without the freeze, certain seeds can’t germinate, and the soil would never have the chance to replenish the nutrients exhausted by the summer’s growth.
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.
Ecclesiastes 3:1
If God saw fit to build a mandatory Sabbath into the very rhythm of the planet, why do we think we are exempt from it? We are part of this creation, not separate from it. When we feel "frozen," perhaps it isn't a sign of failure, but a sign that our Creator is calling us into a season of replenishment that can only happen in the quiet.
I am learning to stop apologizing for the ice. I’m letting the metaphorical sidewalks of my life stay messy for a while. I’m trusting that under the layers of snow, something in me is resting, gathering strength, and waiting for a sun that hasn't risen yet. Wintering isn't about failing to grow; it’s about the radical act of preservation. If you, too, are feeling frozen, stop scraping. The ice will break when the temperature changes, and not a moment sooner. For now, just stay where the heat is and trust the rest.
