Pastor's Corner - 5/6

Does It Feel Familiar?

There’s something familiar about that moment when winter seems to be over, only for one more cold snap to roll in. You get a warm day, maybe even two, and it feels like everything is shifting. Then suddenly, frost returns, the wind bites again, and it almost feels like spring made a false start.

Faith can feel like that, too.

You step forward in obedience, you sense growth, maybe even freedom from something that once held you back. And then, unexpectedly, you stumble. Old habits resurface. Discouragement creeps in. It can feel like you’ve gone backward, like the progress wasn’t real.

But just like the seasons, what feels like a setback doesn’t cancel what God has already begun.

Scripture reminds 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 

Spring doesn’t arrive in a single day. It pushes forward gradually, often unevenly. Cold mornings give way to warmer afternoons. Buds appear before they fully bloom. What looks like inconsistency is actually steady progress underneath the surface.

The same is true in your walk with God.

Those “false starts” are not failures; they are part of the process of growth. God is not surprised by the slow thawing of your heart or the lingering chill of old struggles. He is patient, faithful, and committed to finishing what He started.

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6

Even when it feels like winter is holding on, it cannot stop what God has ordained. Spring always comes. Growth always follows. Life always pushes through.

So don’t be discouraged by the cold days that return. They are fewer now. The evidence of change is already around you, even if it’s not fully formed yet.

Hold on. Keep walking. Trust the season you’re in.

Because what God has planted in you will bloom.

Lord, thank You that You are at work in me even when I can’t see it clearly. When I feel like I’m starting over again, remind me that You are moving me forward. Give me patience in the process and strength to keep going. Help me trust that every step, even the difficult ones, are leading toward growth and new life. In Jesus’ name, amen.