“He directs the snow to fall on the earth and tells the rain to pour down. Job 37:6
In the summer, I would happily grab my sweet pup Belle and head out for a walk. Many days, we’d go out four or five times and would often stop and just soak in the glorious sunshine. But summer does not last, at least in Michigan. This year winter ignored the calendar and arrived in fall.
So it was on an early winter day that I reluctantly pulled on layers to take Belle for a walk. With a scowl on my face, I angrily stomped through the walk, complaining about the cold and snow. SNOW before winter, how dare it! I then noticed my sweet girl happily romping through her first snow. I had been so put out by how the weather was affecting me, I forgot it was her first winter. Her whole body seemed to dance as she explored the blanket of white.
Her joy made me stop and really notice my surroundings. Admittedly, it was beautiful. It was dusk but the snow reflected the light and everything seemed illuminated yet starry. Belle sniffed the air, and I did too. It smelled pure and fresh.
We stood for a moment watching tendrils of smoke curl up into the night air and enjoying the peaceful stillness. I understood anew Matthew 28:3, “His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow.” I was so busy complaining about my discomfort that I missed the beauty right in front of my face. It hit me that this was not the only time that discomfort had led me to miss beauty. There are times in my life where God places or allows me to be uncomfortable. Far too often, I focus on getting back to being warm and cozy and miss the beauty in the hard season.
Snow cannot fall when it is warm and God was showing me that there is joy to be found even in your least favorite season. I tucked the lesson in my heart and walked a little slower back home so that I could enjoy the moment just a little bit longer.
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
About Karen Swim
