The Fruit of Patience in a Winter Season

The saying “patience is a virtue” certainly applies to those of us in Colorado who have home gardening aspirations. Even though our state averages more than 300 sunny days per year, the first snow can fall as early as the beginning of September, with the last freeze possible in late May. Just five years ago, temperatures plummeted below freezing on May 22, two days before Memorial Day!

This reality leaves a tiny window of opportunity to grow backyard crops to maturity in time to harvest them before the first frost of fall. No matter how many “false spring” days provide a glimpse of planting season, experienced Colorado gardeners know you have to remain in a holding pattern as long as possible—no matter what Punxsutawney Phil sees on Groundhog Day.

The first year we decided to give home gardening a try, we bought seeds for a variety of heirloom tomatoes. Of course, we had to start our seeds indoors and nurture them with consistently warm temperatures and brief outside sun exposure once the sprouted seedlings had strong enough stems. If all went well, we would transplant them into the backyard soil before they outgrew their seed starter pots. 

However, no amount of patience and indoor care makes a difference if the weather doesn’t cooperate. We had plenty of hope-inducing spells of warm temperatures that year, and it was hard to convince our young daughters that no matter how healthy our fledgling plants appeared, they would not survive if we jumped the gun. As time passed and the plants began to enter their vegetative phase, we all became impatient. Would all our work go to waste if we couldn’t plant our tomatoes outside in time? 

Thankfully, this first experiment paid off before summer came to a close. Much to the pleasure of my youngest daughter, who couldn’t wait to pluck a few almost ripe cherry tomatoes off their vine for an afternoon snack, we did harvest some delicious tomatoes—not a lot, but enough to give us hope for “next time.” To this day, we continue to grow (successfully and sometimes unsuccessfully) a variety of vegetables and tomatoes in our backyard. 

Over the good and bad years, we’ve learned that if we ever plan to bear fruit in our garden, we must develop both patience and perseverance. Our journey with Jesus is no different: When life’s hardships become a never-ending winter, we must keep our eyes on the Living Hope and trust in the outcome He promises. Our spring will come—and if we develop the spiritual perseverance to press on toward that prize, we will bear fruit along the way.

Are you in a spiritual winter season that appears to have no end in sight? Do you struggle to wait on the Lord and His timing, when it seems like unbearable circumstances drag on, wishing you were strong enough to wait it out?

The patience required to survive harsh winter seasons of life does not develop because we are “strong enough” to endure. That’s good news, because like the apostle James described in scripture, we can expect trials and hardships to befall us as predictably as the seasons. “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience,” James wrote. “But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:2-4)

James is not talking about us achieving any semblance of perfection—quite the opposite! He explains that the fruits of the spirit, which includes patience, develop when we are reborn in Christ and transformed by His Spirit and His Word. God doesn’t expect you to prove yourself: Instead, He promises to complete the good work He’s started in you—He is enabling you to bear fruit in the sanctification process. 

Jesus told His disciples in great length that abiding in Him—the vine—was vital to bearing fruit in our lives. “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4, NKJV). I love that Jesus chose this illustration to help us understand that our spiritual growth and resulting fruit completely depend on our connection with Him, not our strength or determination to persevere.

When I think of those difficult seasons tending to our garden when we weren’t sure if any fruit would appear, I see a vivid example of Jesus’ words reminding me to abide in Him—no matter how challenging the season.

Will you let yourself off the hook if you are feeling overwhelmed by an unrelenting winter season, and choose to rest in Him—keeping your eyes on the hope He offers and the fruit that results when you abide in Him?

Questions for Reflection:

1. Have you tried to white-knuckle your way through bleak winter seasons in life? 

2. What are some practical ways you can remain connected to Jesus (abiding in the vine) and allow the fruit of patience to grow during these times?  

3. How can you practice patience by responding differently to daily inconveniences and challenging people you interact with?