New Life in Christ
by Annalene Holtzhausen
September in South Africa is the beginning of Spring and all around are signs of new growth and new leaves emerging from seemingly dry branches, shrubs and trees. Most people I know in our sunny country prefer summer above the cold of winter; maybe because our homes aren`t really built to handle cold weather. Accordingly a feeling of excitement is ignited by the prospect of warmer weather and when the first summer showers appear, we`re all eager to forget about the cold winter and we pack away our jackets and scarves.
Many of us experience seasons in our lives too. When we go through a difficult or sad time, we refer to it as the winter of our lives. Normally people see this as a time when they aren`t producing fruit and no growth is taking place. It`s a season we wish would end. We long for better and happier times to come because of feeling empty and worthless.
In nature winter also seems to be a time when nothing`s happening. We don`t see trees full of blossoms or fruit growing. We only see the ground covered in leaves that have fallen off. Gardeners usually rake these leaves away to keep the area clean and tidy. But actually these leaves should be left to rot and produce a compost for the soil, nourishing the tree.
We can learn from the way God designed nature to do this nourishing. Winter`s a time when the tree`s going through a process of preparation for the new season. It isn`t a worthless time. When the blossoms and leaves appear it`s after a vital season of inner growth and preparation. In the same way we can learn to embrace the hard times in our lives. We can allow the Lord to bring inner healing and growth through them. Instead of pushing things away (like raking up the leaves), we should allow the Lord to help us deal with the issues we’re faced with. God promises to work all things out for the good of those who love Him and above all desire His will (Romans 28:8, NLT).
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You that the plans and purposes You have for me are always good. Please help me to deal with the issues I may be facing at the moment. I choose to trust You with my life and my circumstances. Please strengthen me and guide me to make the right decisions. May Your name be glorified in every season of my life. Amen.
Annalene Holtzhausen is on the Associate Team at Ellel, Africa. She is married to Renier, who introduced her to Ellel Ministries. She is a full-time mother to their two boys. Her passion is for the restoration of women’s hearts and for people to find their worth in the Lord.
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