I am a mammal. So are you. Our temples, our bodies, and the internal systems that keep us going naturally want to slow down, replenish, and conserve energy during the dark, cold winter months. God made us this way. Still, we fight it. We do not welcome rest as we should. We continue to measure our worth and value by how much we are doing and not by who we are continuing to become. All the rest of God’s good creation pauses in winter, goes dormant, cuts back on activity, honors God’s boundaries. Only human creatures struggle with silence and darkness. We are the only ones who must constantly turn on the light.
It is okay if we pause to breathe deeply and learn to better appreciate the wonder and mystery that lies in the darkness that is winter. This season is an invitation to create your own personal version of a long winter’s nap. What would that look like for you?
This message is excerpted from “Winter boundaries, winter wonder” by Venice R. Williams in the December 2019 Gather magazine.
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