When things spirng to life, they bring a level of excitement, revival, and rejuvenation. We desire to see things elevated to a new level. The return fo leaves, growth of vegetation, and restoration of life is reason enough to bring a sense of joy unspeakable. As the weather changes, a cool breeze replaces the freezing cold and the ground begins to thaw out.
From a spiritual perspective, there is a spring of life that begins to bubble up inside of us. As we embrace the growth and renewal, we’re faced with the challenge of deciding what to do with it. How do we judiciously manage the newness of life springing out of the fertile soil of our hearts and how do we ensure that everything that’s growing out of our hearts is fruitful and properly cultivated.
The challenge
Spring has the potential of life and elevation yet it also brings with it a myriad of challenges. Pollen causes allergies! The sneezing, teary eyes, itchy skin, headaches, and misery. While life is happening all around us, misery may be created for some. Our spiritual lives reflect a similar reality. God sends the bees to pollinate the flowers of our hearts so life can spring up. In the process, pollen is created. These are the obstacles to new growth. We have gotten comfortable, warm, and settled in the winter and need to thaw out in the spring.
Change comes in the Spring seasons of our lives and while we’re not ready, the spiritual temperature demands that we adjust our posture so we can move forward. We sneeze, wheeze, and cough in the spirit until we get comfortable in the new season. The challenges should not discourage us but rather keep us focused on the prize. There is a prize of fruitfulness in the end. As we embrace the springing up of life, we also embrace the challenges of new growth.
The Failure
Many fall by the wayside even in the spring because they fall for the sin of comparison. My tree is not being pollinated as fast as yours. My leaves are not growing as fast as the rest. My colors are not coming in as evenly or as consistently…and so on and so forth. Comparison destroys the potential of the tree in its season of fruitfulness.
Every tree, every shrub has its own unique purpose. It is designed to produce the fruit designated for it according to its own kind. As Paul aptly puts it; the hand should never compare itself to the toe (paraphrased) because each has a unique and distinct purpose. All of nature works together to provide all that we need for life and Godliness.
Spring has the potential to revive and renew things. We must learn to endure the temporary discomfort of learning how to function differently, adapting to new life, and thereby receiving new life. In every new season, there are new lessons to be learned, new ideas to be grasped, new heights to be reached, and new fruit to be grown and new ventures ahead. Keep new life springing up and forward.
Next week we will examine the summer, summer’s heat! Stay tuned.
Nelson Masinde 