In Minnesota we are blessed with the changing seasons in weather and climate; brisk, blustery sunshine against stark, bare trees is what we are afforded in November (always with a ‘chance of snow’!) Our spiritual growth and health goes through seasons as well. Some mirror our Minnesota climate; giddy round springtime, lazy through a summer breeze, silent and tense during the winter blizzard. Our moods and emotional seasons sometimes mirror our Minnesota climate.

When I get into a season of darkness there are warning signs to the wall I will soon hit, two of them are:
1. Irritability over small details.
2. Desire to people please.

These two feelings lead to restlessness, discontentment and a disconnect with God, even when I’m attending small group, devoting morning meditation and study time, serving my guts out at church. Seemingly doing ALL the right things.

When in this dark season too long I allow fear to creep in and the escapism starts to surface. Dreams of living in a bus in Alaska sound good, stolling a deserted island sounds better. Fear that I will do something wrong, wreck something awful, paralyzes me into not performing my very best.

During this dark season, I have gotten into ego-driven thinking and forgetful of the most important element: God and His design and where my life fits into His design.

The further along your spiritual pathway, the signals and the seasons are shortened tremendously. A boss suggests a day off, we can humbly accept. Remember to say NO. And the ever-elusive, “It is NONE of my business what YOU think of me,” is a good slogan to drill into everyday thinking. A time to rest allows us to get back into gear, on the right path and moving forward, which usually involves joy.

Don’t smack into that wall of fear. Stop. Rest. Pray. Get moving again. And when you do, you’ll find that God just may have cleared your path.