seasons

lately, i've been reading Passion and Purity by Elisabeth Elliot. boy, does she have some great advice and speaks with such wisdom! she writes about her dating life with her husband Jim (Jim Elliot, missionary who was killed by a tribe in the 50's...) anywho, her journal entries of their courtship is much different than mine will be. i am shocked at their maturity, self-control, selflessness, and their God-honoring love and devotion to one another. Elisabeth spoke and still speaks with such wisdom i hope to one day obtain. in chapter 16, she refers her spiritual life to seasons. in this time where spring has finally sprung, it makes total sense to me. she says:

"Spring comes, and the hidden wonders burst out all at once - tiny shoots, swelling buds, touches of green and red where all seemed hopeless the day before."

if we experience winter, we dont know how wonderful spring is. in the winter, there are things going on under the surface that we cannot see yet, just like in our spiritual life. we just have to wait for it to bloom. she ends with a portion from a letter, and it says it all:

I live "present tense" more than ever before and have managed to overcome the plaguing desire to know everything. I've told the Lord I want to be an obedient servant, and He shot back, "And are you willing to face grief and pain or whatever it takes for Me to make you that?" Even though I felt unable, I said, "What choice do I have? I know too much to drop the ball now. There's no turning back." I'd be lying if I said I wasn't afraid. But He has brought me this far and already

my joy is unspeakable."