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As believers in Jesus Christ, we all know that nurturing our faith is critical to maintaining a close relationship with our Heavenly Father. Without prayer and bible reading and fellowship, our faith roots can’t penetrate the soil as deeply as we’d like. When life becomes too hectic and busy and stressful and worrisome, it’s easy to lose sight of God or not feel His presence around us.
I’m not sure about you, but there are days when I feel alone and outside of Gods loving and provisional arms. It’s not His fault though, it’s mine. God is always there, it’s just that I don’t necessarily take the time to read my Bible or pray or simply find a calm place to be still and listen for the Holy Spirit’s prompting in my heart. Can you relate my friend?
Where I live, winters are cold and snow is plenty. It’s during this season of the year that I’m stuck inside more often than not. Personally, I’m not a big fan of frozen toes and fingers, not to mention mini-ice cycles forming on my moustache. But the other night, an astoundingly beautiful frost appeared and coated absolutely everything outside. Trees, decayed leaves on branches, windows, cars, buildings and likely a few stray cats—all becoming a picturesque tapestry of natures’ wonders.
For those of you living in warmer climates (yes, I’m jealous), frost is created when water vapour in the air meets solid objects on the ground that are already frozen. Ice crystals form immediately as water vapour continues to freeze. Everything in my yard was rimmed in white as though God Himself had glossed His creation in sparkling icy crystals using a paint brush. This is the part of the story where, as a Christian, I’m inclined to tell you that’s exactly what God did!
My point is this. I woke up that morning plagued with an anxious heart over family and loved ones, the troubled world in which we all reside and the never-ending stack of bills that love to accumulate. In that state of mental exhaustion, I simply didn’t feel as though I had the energy to pray or give God the credit He deserves for a new day and countless blessings that I often take for granted. But when I opened the blinds to look out into my backyard, my breath was taken away. It was truly a winter wonderland akin to something that you would see on a picture postcard. Being a photographer, I knew that I had to man up and venture out to snap some pics while I had the chance. It was bone-chilling cold with deep snow to match, but I was determined to not allow the elements to ruin an opportunity.
Bundling up like a wilderness explorer, I traipsed outside where a handful of heavily frosted ruby-red maple leaves immediately caught my eye. Moving in for a barrage of close-ups on the still-attached foliage, I was gently reminded in my heart that God is present even when I don’t seek Him out. That in the simplicity of my frosted backyard, He is there to calm my soul and give me peace—that a winter’s frost calls attention to His care and love for me, and more importantly, it awakens the joy and gratitude of my salvation through Jesus; a free gift that can’t be earned and certainly isn’t deserved.
“He lets me rest in green meadows; (and frozen backyards) he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.” (Psalms 23:2,3 NLT)
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NLT)
So, the next time you need a faith reboot, take the time to see God in the smallest details of your life. You won’t be disappointed and you might just capture an amazing photograph in the process!
Paul Smyth
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