Don’t rush your winter. Honor your rest.

If you garden, you know the itchy feeling one gets to get your hands in the dirt on the first signs of spring. However, lovely days can be deceiving. And can trick you into rushing what still needs a little more time. Winter still has a handful of frosty days up her sleeve.

As I thought about today’s devotion, I heard the words- Honor your rest.

I recently took a few seedlings outdoors. They were becoming too big for their container and were in desperate need of more room. However, they were not ready for the colder atmosphere. And though they were big enough to transplant, they were not strong enough. (Read that again)

We are so close to spring here in the PNW. The birds are singing. The daffodils and crocuses are popping up, and the seedlings in my kitchen window are begging to get in their garden beds.

But I can’t rush the end of winter. I need to honor the rest my garden needs and the transition that needs to happen to welcome my tender seedlings.

I hope that by now you have gathered I’m not talking about plants and gardening but using them as an example. You see, we tend to rush our rest season. However, our new roots or growth are still tender and susceptible to an unwelcoming climate.

The downtime that has had us blanketed in may have felt dark. But in truth, it was guarding us against being exposed too soon. The Lord instructed his people to let the land rest every seven years. To allow the soil to regenerate. Though it would still produce fruit, it was required to let it fall to the ground. No cultivation and no harvesting! The crop would feed the soil, turning it into fertilizer. Animals may have been rotated to a resting field, walking and pooping on during their year of rest. (Ever Been there?)

“but during the seventh year the land must have a Sabbath year of complete rest. It is the Lord’s Sabbath. Do not plant your fields or prune your vineyards during that year. And don’t store away the crops that grow on their own or gather the grapes from your unpruned vines. The land must have a year of complete rest.”

‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭25‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The land had to receive. It had to refrain from production and honor its season of rest.

Sis, perhaps you have been forced to rest, either by life circumstances, health, or spiritual exhaustion; don’t rush your winter. Honor your rest. These days have a purpose. A designated secret place that tucks us in while our tender roots and new shoots prepare for an atmosphere waiting for us!

The more we tend to our season of rest, the more our hearts are ready to toil once more. Honoring our rest is not lazy, nor is it idle. There is serious underground work happening. We are not just healing, recovering, or refreshing, we are being nurtured and strengthened for a new season. And Just like the fruit that fell to the resting ground to feed its roots. Your rest time is made for you to allow your fruit to feed your roots.

When the moment comes, and you are transplanted or nudged to rise out of your warm, hidden winter days, you realize you have been readied for the cool, fresh, renewing days of spring!

Don’t rush your winter- but honor your rest! Spring is coming!

“Look, the winter is past, and the rains are over and gone. The flowers are springing up, the season of singing birds has come, and the cooing of turtledoves fills the air.”

‭‭Song of Songs‬ ‭2‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days. The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭35‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬