February Fatigue

As long as the Earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease. Genesis 8:22

The holidays are long over, January has come and gone, and here we are- smack in the middle of February. Here in the Pacific Northwest, I don’t know many people who enjoy the month of February. I have friends and family that get bogged down by it every year, feeling groggy and sluggish. The anticipation of a snowy winter is fading but spring isn’t quite here yet. When you look outside most days, you see soggy, cold, and dull weather. It certainly gets its share of blame for grumpy moods and stir-crazy children. All in all, February is kind of a bummer!

I know it can be hard to wait for brighter days, and I’m not suggesting we should look outside with glee during this often dark and blustery month. Even though I love the rain, I can’t say I’m happy when I look at the mud pit that is our backyard, the sloppy and stinky dog, or the sopping wet clothes and shoes my kids have piled by the door. Is there anything to enjoy about February? I think so. Despite our urge to blame everything on this dreary month, we can still find good and beautiful things in it. “It is always possible to be thankful for what is given rather than resentful over what is withheld. One attitude or the other becomes a way of life.”-Elisabeth Elliot.

Allowing the weather to dictate our attitudes can absolutely lead to resentment and make us feel discontent. We feel that we are owed something better. It is so easy to let the weather get us down and to convince ourselves that if it were only spring, things would be better. Our lives would be better, maybe our kids would behave better, the sunshine would surely fix everything. It does help, there is no denying that! But what if we look at what we are receiving this month? What if we tried to be thankful, even just a little bit, for all the chilly and rainy days? Without them, how could we truly appreciate those rays of sun on our face when spring arrives? By no means am I suggesting we never complain about the weather, but we’ve got to be careful not to let it become the base of our mood.

Chances are, we will be wishing for cooler days during the heatwaves of summer. There is nothing wrong with preferring certain seasons over others, I know I do! Sometimes the hard part is holding onto our joy and contentment no matter what time of year it is. As much as I can’t wait to see flowers blooming, get my garden going, and be outside with my family on a sunny, breezy day, I try to enjoy this time when yardwork isn’t on my list of things to do. Soon enough, we will be in the throes of weeding, watering, lawn mowing, and a whole list of outdoor chores. As we make our way through these last weeks of winter and look forward to the renewal and excitement of spring, let’s try to be thankful for what is given to us.

I believe that God shows us glimmers of light and hope all through the winter if we know where to look. He gives us lovely things that remind us spring will come again. The frost sparkling in the sun on a frozen morning, the bright berries that stand out on an otherwise brown and twiggy shrub, and already I can see the buds of my crocuses and hyacinths popping through the soil.

I find so much comfort in Genesis 8:22. As long as the Earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease. Springtime will come, and the anticipation we feel for it is a gift. What a beautiful thing we have to look forward to!

What’s your favorite season? Are you anxiously awaiting the arrival of spring? What good things have happened this winter that you can reflect on? I hope you will feel encouraged as we wrap up another season!