The Dark Place
In this dark and icy winter, ongoing traumas, physical and other, are happening with family members and several friends. It seems as if the dark place is here to stay.
Life is often lived in the dark place. It is not easy. It seems to be a mixture of turmoil or pain or anger or other. Our only hope is to remain in the One who assures us that there is hope and a future and a place of being.
Unopened Buds
But the dark place comes first. Can the bud refuse to open? Yes. It can grow dull, closed up and die. In the cold, we wrap up tightly in our blankets. From the looks of some of my rosebushes (the unpruned ones), it looks to me like the leftover buds from last autumn do the same. Warding off the chill, and protecting the heart becomes of paramount importance.
Hidden in the Almighty
But maybe the dark place does not have to be menacing at all. It could be that the buds in winter that are covered just stay quiet and safe. It’s in the dark place where they are hidden from the elements that would destroy them.
God holds us in the shadows. In the night seasons. In the icy, blowing winds. He holds us as unopened buds waiting for the spring. By hiding in Him through the dark season, the bud will live. And so will we.
And The Point Is …
Growth happens in the obscure, dark place. When trust in God is unwavering, eventually the sun comes and calls out seeds and buds. They come forth in usefulness and beauty. The end of winter is at hand and spring coaxes new life out of hiding. Even from suffering.
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; my God in Him will I trust” (Psalm 91: 1-2).
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