Greetings, leaders of Encourage Leadership!
As we embrace the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, let's delve into the spiritual parallels that the season holds for us. In the natural, winter brings about a time of stillness, reflection, and preparation for the blooming season to come. Similarly, we find ourselves in a spiritual winter, where God is orchestrating a deep cleansing and purging within us.
✨ Purging for Purity
To achieve purity, we must first recognize and address the impurities in our lives. The winter season becomes a refining fire, purging away the unnecessary and leaving behind a purified vessel. This spiritual sifting is a divine process, preparing us for the abundant life that lies ahead.
🙏 Surrender to the Stretching
In our recent gathering at the Faith City Bible Institute Christmas party, the Lord impressed upon me the need for surrender. "I surrender to the stretching to the finish," I declared. This surrender involves yielding our goals, projects, relationships, and businesses to Christ. Just as winter surrenders to spring, our surrender paves the way for a new and flourishing season.
💑 Embracing Covenant Commitments
For those navigating challenges in relationships, especially marriage, the call is to surrender to the covenant. Your spouse is your covenant partner, and even in the winter seasons of relationships, there's a promise of restoration, rejoicing, laughter, and life. Ecclesiastes 9:11 reminds us that time and chance happen to everyone, but those with God find grace for the race.
📖 Kharios Moments and Knowing What You Carry
Not knowing the value of what you carry can lead to a spiritual miscarriage. As we journey through this season, let's remember the importance of discerning the times and seizing the kairos moments. In these moments, we'll find the due season for our endeavors.
🕰️ Time and Chance
Drawing inspiration from 1 Corinthians 16:5-9, we recognize the importance of personal plans aligned with divine timing. Like the changing seasons, there's a rhythm to life—summer, spring, winter, and fall. As we engage in due diligence, we prepare ourselves for the doors that open and the adversaries we may face.
🚶♂️ Laziness: A Hindrance to Identity
Finally, let's address the laziness that hinders our growth. Whether it's laziness of exertion, thought, or perspective, avoiding the work of understanding our true identity can lead to missed opportunities. Like the ant diligently preparing for winter, we must put in the effort to know who we are, ensuring we're ready for the changing seasons of life.
As we navigate this spiritual winter, let's do so with intention, surrender, and a commitment to understanding our identity in Christ. Just as the winter season gives way to spring, our spiritual winter prepares us for the flourishing seasons God has in store.
In faith and purpose,
Coach Tarchia
Encourage Leadership 🌱✝️ #WinterSeasonReflections #LeadershipJourney #SpiritualGrowth
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