E-how.com states this,
Plants and flowers fall into one of two categories: perennials or annuals. Perennial plants will bloom, die back, go dormant and return to your garden the next growing season. Annual plants flower, produce seeds and die; they do not return to the garden of their own accord.
Every marriage goes through seasons. The carefree, hot days of summer. The tranquil, beautiful days of autumn. The refreshing, promising days of spring. The stark, cold days of winter. Each season offers something unique to your marriage story and, when put together, will add up to a life-long beautiful testimony of God’s faithfulness.
While winter seasons are to be expected, not many people enjoy their time in the tundra. The cold-to-the bone experience is not something we look forward to, but the struggle of our winters bless our marriage with new dimensions, new stories of triumph, and a deeper understanding of what commitment means.The winter months can be brutal, so it is imperative that we maintain a long-term outlook. We must remember that the struggle is part of the story. We must have faith that God will bring us closer as a couple and bring Himself glory through whatever we experience.
Personally, my husband and I are thawing out after an eight month long winter. Praise the Lord, spring is around the corner and our marriage has been strengthened! As I reflect on our recent wintertime spell, I can recall specific times when I compared our emotional state to a plant. I wanted us to be a beautiful blossom that spread wide open with joy, but we resembled more of a withered and wilted shrub. In those moments, I clung to the promise that our marriage was not an annual plant, but a perennial. Our marriage might have felt dormant at the time, but eventually the ice would give way to new life and we would produce a breathtaking flower. A beautiful gift after such a difficult journey. The truth is:
Our winter was actually necessary in order for us to produce such a flower. And guess what? Our next journey through winter-land will be equally as important.
It is crucial to remember that our current situation is not the entire story. We can’t grow bitter, give up, compromise our vows, or walk away simply because our winter season is longer than we would have hoped. If we are prayerful and intentional, God will use the iciest of times to teach us and mold us into the person (and the spouse) He wants us to be. Psalm 30:5 promises us, “weeping may stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning.”
What season is your marriage in? If you’re in the middle of winter: Hold on! You’re a perennial and you will bloom again!
I am linking this post up to Desire to Inspire!
Amy Coleman says
Darby,
I really needed this this morning. Thank you for honoring God in all that you do and obedient. You are a blessing!
Amy
darbyd says
Praise God, Amy. Thank you for reading and sharing.
Jen Stults says
Just found this via Pinterest. Yes, a wilted plant is not the whole picture. Thanks for the excellent reminder! I’ll be sharing this with friends. 🙂
darbyd says
Glad you found it! Thanks. 🙂