Winter Is a Time for Growth?
As we entered winter this year, I kept getting the impression that this winter would be a time of unexpected growth. Typically, in winter, our family shifts into a mode of more stillness. On top of that, our fourth baby was due in January, and I knew infant season—much like winter—is typically a time of an extended pause. The Lord, however, kept confirming this word through several friends. Don't go into hibernation. This will be a winter of growth.
In the backyard, watching my kids play, I noticed my favorite rose bush (which we inherited with our house when we moved in five years ago) was doing something I'd never seen it do before. There was a small red berry growing. I quickly looked up that breed of rose bush, and apparently they can produce berries, and when they do, it's always in winter. I knew this wasn't a coincidence—fruit and growth in winter.
I felt prompted after that to look into what kind of growth happens in winter in the natural. I knew that what I found was a word of encouragement for more than just me but for the Body as well in this specific season.
Winter Is a Time for Growing Roots and Harvesting Fruits
Winter can be a time for growing roots and harvesting fruits. This seems counterintuitive, because winter has the appearance of all activity ceasing. But this winter is intended to be far from inactive. God is inviting us into a paradoxical winter of growth. It's a time to be growing roots (preparing for what God has ahead) and harvesting fruits (consuming all the Lord has to teach us from the previous seasons).
What does this look like spiritually? Growing roots happens below the surface. This is when not a lot is visibly happening or changing in our circumstances yet. Instead, we are being changed beneath the surface. This is when the Lord is working on our hearts and mindsets. This is when the Lord is initiating processes within us through His words... words that we can't yet see manifesting but that are beginning to prepare us. This kind of growth is reduced but continuous, slow and steady, and very much strategic.
This period is dedicated to maintenance, repair, and the formation of new, fine feeder roots. Sometimes, root growth looks like inner healing, correction of limiting or incorrect beliefs about God, or restoration after burnout or disappointment. The growth of "feeder roots" looks like finding new ways to connect to the Lord. The purpose of all of this is to make sure we (like the plants) are ready to burst forth into life in the spring. Those whose roots have been slowly growing in the winter are best primed to receive nutrients in the spring and grow more quickly and effectively. The same is true with us. Winter root growth happens so that when those moments of His timing come, we are primed and ready to flourish. (Photo via Unsplash)
Sometimes winter can be a season for fruit, as unlikely as it seems. Like the rose bush, the product of previous seasons of growth may be ripe for picking even when the rest of the plant is bare. This growth in plants is fueled by reserves from the previous growing season.
For us, reserves from previous seasons look like testimony and prophecy. What has the Lord done? We can often answer this question easily. The deeper question is what is that testimony meant to grow in us? Testimonies are meant to be the fuel to drive new growth for the Kingdom. "Consuming" these fruits looks like meditating on what God has done and what that says about who He is and what He will do.
Prophetic words also drive growth. It's a time to revisit and feast on the promises we have. Recently, many prophetic ministries have been under fire, which has tempted some to throw out trying to hear from the Lord altogether. The enemy would love us to throw away all the fruit of any prophetic words we've received. Instead, test the fruit. The words we've received that ARE from the Lord are meant to fuel our growth. Don't let a few bad apples cause you to throw out your entire harvest.
The Importance of Your Soil Condition
Growth in the winter, interestingly enough, doesn't always happen. The primary indicator of whether or not winter growth occurs is based on the soil conditions. This immediately brought to mind what the Lord says about the soil of our hearts.
"And since they had no root, they withered away" (Matthew 13:6 ESV)
"And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the Word, immediately they fall away." (Mark 4:17 ESV)
How do we prepare our hearts to grow roots? In the parable of the sower, Jesus tells us the Lord always prepares us for growth. He is faithful to scatter the seed on all kinds of soil. The soil that is prepared to receive it, however, is the one that experiences growth.
How to Grow Good Roots: Faith and Love
The Word tells us that to prepare our soil to be rooted, we must dig into two things: faith and love.
"Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving." (Colossians 2:6–7 ESV) (Photo via Pexels)
"That according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:16–19 ESV)
We dig into faith by hearing. God gives us His Word so that we can respond in faith—a hopeful obedience in expectancy that the Lord is good. Romans 10:17 says, "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ" (ESV). What is God speaking to you to have faith for?
Digging into His love can be more difficult for us because it's not task-oriented or goal-based. It's identity driven. You were created for love. Every gift you carry is inoperable without love.
"If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing." (1 Corinthians 13:2 NIV)
We must ask God for a deeper experience of His love. We should ask Him what He loves about us. Spend time just loving God for who He is. While it doesn't seem like we're "moving the needle forward" by meditating on His love, it actually is growing our roots. This below-the-surface work prepares us to be ready to explode into new life in the spring.
Encounter questions for our time with the Lord:
• Is there any inner healing or restoration after disappointment that You want to do in me this season?
• Are there any incorrect beliefs about You I've internalized that You want to correct?
• How can I connect to You in new ways this season?
• What testimonies and prophecies do You want me to feed on this season?
• What are You putting faith in me for this season?
• What about Your love do You want to show me or remind me of?
• What do You love about me?
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Sara Whitten
Arrows of Zion
Email:Â sara@arrowsofzion.com
Website:Â www.arrowsofzion.com
Sara Whitten is an author, speaker, and founder of Arrows of Zion Ministries which has been offering resources to equip to the body of believers since 2017. This ministry focuses on creating space to regularly encounter God's voice and live lives that are fertile soil for the kingdom of God. Her writings are featured in many publications, including the Elijah List and Charisma. She also hosts "Hear God Every Day," a podcast with tools to help amplify the voice of God amidst the noise of everyday life. She and her husband currently reside in Kerrville, Texas with their three children.
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