How do you feel about cold weather?
“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter… will never cease.” Genesis 8:22
Someone recently asked me how I feel about cold weather. My honest answer? I don’t like it. Not one bit. There’s something about the chill in the air that makes me want to retreat, to wrap up in layers and wait until warmth returns. But as I sat with that question longer, I realized something deeper: cold seasons in life have a spiritual purpose, even if they’re uncomfortable.
Cold weather reminds me of those seasons in my journey where everything felt stripped, emotionally, spiritually, even relationally. Just like winter trees lose their leaves, I’ve gone through times where I felt bare… exposed… vulnerable. But I’ve also learned this truth: the winter season is not God’s absence, it’s His invitation.
In the cold, I’ve discovered stillness. With distractions reduced, I hear Him more clearly. In the chill, I’ve leaned into His warmth. When people pulled away or situations grew silent, God’s nearness became more precious. Though I dislike cold weather, it has mirrored the seasons where my roots grew deepest in Him.
And maybe that’s the gift of cold: not comfort, but closeness. Not activity, but abiding. Not visibility, but vision, formed in the quiet, deep places.
Prayer:
Lord, You know I don’t care for the cold, outwardly or inwardly. But thank You for using even the chill of winter seasons to draw me closer. Teach me to embrace the stillness, to lean into Your warmth, and to trust that even in the cold, something is growing. Prepare me in the quiet, prune me in the bare places, and root me more deeply in You. In Jesus name!
Now, think of a time when life felt cold, lonely, quiet, or uncomfortable. How did God meet you in that season? Write a few lines of thanks for the growth you couldn’t see then, but recognize now.
Returning to Intimacy 