“Dormancy isn’t just rest, but quiet renewal, letting life slow down long enough to rediscover what makes it sweet.”
Lee Warren
During worship at church, at the end of 2024, I heard the Lord whisper that I was in a season of dormancy and less activity. The purpose of being dormant was to rest up in preparation for what was to come. Just as in the natural world, dormancy for trees is for their protection, to slow down growth, and to store nutrients in their roots and trunk, so lying dormant is for my protection, nourishment, and growth. God encouraged me to embrace this season, not run from it.
Dormancy requires that we choose to do less and to be more, which is why it’s so uncomfortable. It’s not easy to be stripped of finding our identity and purpose in life by what we do. Yet, the psalmist encourages us in Psalm 46:10a to “Be still, and know that I am God.” Being less busy and choosing stillness, rest, and reflection are for our protection and growth. These rhythms of rest and inactivity are so that Christ goes deeper within our soul. We store spiritual nutrients as we slowly read and meditate on God’s Word and are silent long enough to hear God speak. Slowing down our pace and making more time for rest provides more energy and strength for the future.
Invisible activity is still going on during dormancy for trees, beneath what our eyes can see. Likewise, delicious fruit is formed within us during the winter season. Dormancy produces the fruit of patience as we wait. Isaiah 40:31 promises that the process of waiting strengthens us. Humility, dependence on God, and intentionally seeking God’s presence are by-products of dormancy. Perseverance and steadfast faith are harvested as we slow down our pace and turn more inward toward God (Galatians 6:9).
A winter season is not to be despised. It’s for our preservation and to prepare us for spring. Sometimes, things must die for new growth to birth. Winter is necessary so that we flourish. Your dormancy now is to bear more fruit in the future.
“Maybe dormancy is an invitation for the soul to actually grow lighter; for it to take up space and breathe a little deeper.”
Celia A. Miller
Relevant Reflection:
If you’re in a season of dormancy, what practical steps does God want you to take to embrace it more fully?
Image by Henning Sørby from Pixabay
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