By Camille Brooks
I love the symbolic message of spring— No matter how hard, how long, or how cold the winter is, I know with surety that spring will eventually follow. This gives me hope when I face my own long, dark winters—hardships of trial and sorrow that stretch my soul.
In times of sorrow, we feel like it will never end, and it is easy to become hopeless. When the adversary tempts me with such thoughts, I hold on to the memory of spring and the bulbs pushing up through the snow, to find the light. It is as though they are saying, “Goodbye, winter; it is time for you to go, you have served your purpose—you have tried my soul. Now leave me, and let spring grace this earth with her peace and beauty!”
The God of the universe brings the peace and joy of spring to this earth each year. There is nothing we can do to keep it from coming. Our adversities are much like that. They, too, are often outside of our control. The coronavirus is a current example. Only God can change our winters into spring.
I have found personally, there is always something the Lord wants me to do or learn in my winter of affliction: a sin I need to repent of, a weakness I need to overcome, a person I need to serve, forgive, and love more deeply, or a Christlike attribute I need to develop. All these things are evidence of His love and His desire to save me—so that spring can finally come.
This time of being hunkered down within our homes, is an opportunity to reflect, and ask “Lord, what lack I yet?” What would He have us learn and do so that this winter of Covid 19 can end and the healing of spring can finally come?
Whatever is wrong in our lives can be made right through the atonement of Christ, if we exercise faith in Him. He will heal us, comfort us and strengthen us to do all things that are necessary to turn things to our good—so that spring can finally come.
It is not a coincidence that the Savior’s resurrection was in the spring!
The promise of the resurrection is that no matter what troubles us, and is causing us a winter of affliction, we can have hope. Not only for resurrection, but healing from all our infirmities—if we come unto Christ, is the true symbolic message of spring.
President Nelson, from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has invited the entire world to unite in fasting and prayer this Friday, April 10, known to many as Good Friday. I invite you to share this message with all you can. May we unite as worldwide children of God, in the exercise of our faith and plead for the healing that only God can bring.
