The Seasons of Life | Winter

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” 

— Ecclesiastes 3:1

Winter is perhaps the most difficult season of the soul. It is the season when warmth disappears, growth seems to stop, and the landscapes of life feel barren. Winter can feel like absence, unanswered prayers, opportunities closed, and the familiar evidence of God’s activity seemingly withdrawn. There are seasons when faith feels vibrant and visible, but winter is not one of them. In winter the sky feels silent, the ground appears frozen, and the work of God feels beneath the surface. We must know that scripture does not ignore these experiences. In fact, it gives language to them – the psalmist cries out:

“How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?”
— Psalm 13:1

This is not the language of unbelief but the language of honest faith. The psalms often teach us that lament is not rebellion, but it is often the truest depths of our relationship. Only those who truly trust God feel the weight of His apparent distance. However, scripture repeatedly reminds us that God is often most active when He appears most silent. Consider Joseph, who spent years forgotten in prison before God elevated him to leadership. Consider David, who endured long seasons of exile before ascending to the throne. Consider the decades of quiet preparation in the wilderness before Moses led Israel. The wintery seasons of life teach perseverance. James writes:

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
— James 1:2–3 (ESV)

The visible fruit of summer grows above ground, but the strength that sustains that fruit grows below it. In winter, roots grow deeper, faith moves from emotion to conviction – from enthusiasm to endurance. C.S. Lewis captured this reality when he wrote in The Problem of Pain that God whispers to us in our pleasures but shouts in our pains. Pain, he argued, acts as God’s “megaphone” to awaken a sleeping world. Winter seasons strip away illusions and force us to confront what we truly believe about God. When comfort disappears, superficial faith cannot survive. Winter removes the supports we did not realize we were leaning on. Reputation, productivity, affirmation, and certainty may all fade, leaving us with a single question: “Is God still good when I cannot see His hand?” Lewis believed that God sometimes withdraws the felt sense of His presence not out of cruelty, but out of love. He compared it to a teacher who steps back during an exam—not because the student has been abandoned, but because the student must now demonstrate what has been learned. 

Winter teaches us that weakness is not an obstacle to God’s work—it is often the very place where His power becomes visible. And yet, winter is never permanent. Even when the landscape looks lifeless, life is quietly preparing beneath the surface. What appears dormant is actually being prepared. Scripture assures us:

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
— Galatians 6:9 (ESV)

Notice the promise: in due season. God works according to His timing, not ours. Winter prepares the soil for spring. It humbles the heart. It deepens trust and it reminds us that God is not only the God of visible blessings but also the God of silent faithfulness. And when spring eventually returns—as it always does for those who belong to Him—the roots formed in winter will sustain a deeper, stronger life than before. For the believer, winter is never wasted.