Spring is here in all its glory. This season, when nature dons a new green frock festooned with multicolored floral accents, is a time of warmth, renewal, and the refreshing prospect of new beginnings and hope.
Perhaps winter with its drab, barren landscape, chill, and for some, illness, has taken a toll on you, and despite the greening of spring, you can’t quite gain momentum.
Here is some encouragement to embrace renewal and regain forward motion:
Reorganize
I don’t know what it is about spring that prompts cleaning, but suddenly the urge is strong to clean up, clean out, spruce up, throw out, and give away. Perhaps days with more light illuminate what needs to be cleaned and warmer weather renews energy to take on sidelined projects.
What needs to be reorganized in your personal life? Do you need to implement a plan to reduce screen time and refocus on learning or growth? Or do you need to shift your attention to forgiveness and mending relationships?
Reorganization isn’t just about weeding through stacks, throwing out, and filing away. Reorganizing thought patterns and working on positive perspectives is equally important in the current climate of criticism and negativity. Be the one to encourage and compliment rather than finding fault.
Think about what you need to reorganize in your head and in your heart, and then do it. No matter where they occur, decluttering and reorganizing take effort, focus, and persistence.
Resurrect
Each spring, I’m always amazed that barren sticks sprout bright green foliage, seemly overnight. Bushes that are sparse and colorless suddenly blaze with a riot of color. But a few of the trees in our yard aren’t doing as well. In fact, they look dead. Dry leaves still cling stubbornly to their limbs and the few hints of green here and there are gray instead of verdant. Is the tree dying or merely stunted by remnants of a season past?
Sometimes, changed perspectives, fresh ideas, and new growth are slow in coming, especially when you are emerging for a season of loss, illness, or challenging circumstances. Renewing energies and passions feels impossible, at times, but don’t give up. Try to determine why moving forward feels so hard and work toward overcoming what has you tethered to a former season of life. What do you need to resurrect—courage, discipline, compassion, love? And what do you need to bury—unforgiveness, bitterness, envy, hatred?
When Lazarus emerged from the tomb, he was still wrapped in grave cloths. Others had to help him break free before he could take the first steps into his resurrected life. Perhaps you also need the help of trusted friends or a counselor to unwrap what binds you and move forward.
Reignite
As a child, riding my bike was a favorite activity. The training wheels stayed on my bike so long they were bent upwards and not even touching the ground anymore, but they gave me a sense of security.
One day, my dad pulled out tools and began removing the training wheels. I protested loudly and tearfully, but he continued with his mission.
When he finished, he stood up and said, “Now ride!”
Still crying and complaining, I got on my bike angrily chanting, “I can’t and you’re forcing me.”
“Yes, you can. I’m right beside you and I won’t let you fall.” Daddy ran beside me, coaxing and coaching, and soon I was moving forward without his hand on the back fender.
Often, we’re complacent in our comfort, happy to coast along with ineffective methods and useless crutches instead trusting our Father to keep us from falling. Trust is the pivotal component to reignite forward motion and blast through obstacles to the next assignment, mission, or season of life.
Just as spring brings the renewal of nature, let this be a time when you leave the comfort of where you are and move forward with reignited determination and motivation.
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20 NLT
©CandyArrington