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The Daily Devotional
Saturday, February 28, 2026
Beneath the Frost: Trusting the Holy Timing of Returning Light
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” — Ecclesiastes 3:1
Introduction
The ancient wisdom of Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us that we do not write the rhythm of our own lives; instead, we are invited to trust the Author of time itself. This verse is a profound anchor, reminding us that no season lasts forever, and that God has a deliberate, loving purpose for each chapter we walk through.
Today is February 28th, the final day of a long, often difficult winter month. In the Northern Hemisphere, it stands as a true hinge-point—a liminal space in the waning days of meteorological winter. We are standing on the threshold between what was and what will be. The ground outside may still be frozen solid, the trees bare, and the air sharp, yet the light is undeniably returning. The days are lengthening, minute by quiet minute. Today invites us into a profound spiritual truth: invisible, miraculous growth is often happening deep beneath the frost, and sometimes, the holiest work we can do in this season is simply to be patient.
Reflection
Winter’s stark stillness is rarely easy to endure, but it is often deeply necessary. In the quiet cold, the earth is engaged in the unseen work of resting, pruning, healing, and deepening its roots. When we look back on what this “winter month” of February has held for us, we must be honest. For many, it has been a season marked by fatigue, grief, quiet endurance, loneliness, or the wearying act of waiting.
We live in a world that demands immediate results and constant blooming. But spring cannot be forced; it arrives entirely in God’s timing—quietly, gradually, and always faithfully.
Consider a seasoned gardener standing at the edge of their plot in late February. The seed catalogs have arrived, the afternoon sun feels a little warmer, and the temptation to plunge a trowel into the earth is fiercely strong. But a wise gardener knows better. If they force the timing and plant seeds into soil that is still too cold and waterlogged from winter storms, the seeds will not grow; they will rot in the freezing mud. The gardener must wait for the thaw. They must wait for the earth to warm to the exact right temperature. This waiting is not laziness or defeat—it is the disciplined, hopeful work of preparation. The gardener knows that forced timing can ruin the harvest, but patient timing heals, prepares, and ultimately brings forth life.
The same is true for our own souls. God is just as present in the frozen, unyielding ground of our lives as He is in the first green signs of the spring thaw. If you are feeling stuck in a prolonged winter, know that your waiting is not in vain. The season of dormancy is doing its work. It is preparing you to hold the growth that is to come.
Application
As we stand on this threshold between winter and spring, take a moment to reflect on the rhythm of your own life.
What season am I in right now? Be honest with yourself. Are you in a season of deep winter rest, a time of painful pruning, or are you just beginning to feel the early warmth of a new beginning?
What is God growing beneath the surface? Consider the unseen work happening in your heart. How has this winter deepened your roots, your empathy, or your reliance on grace?
Where do I need to stop forcing what isn’t ready? Identify one area of your life—a relationship, a career move, a personal goal—where you are trying to plant seeds in frozen ground. Practice trusting God's timing by letting go of the need for immediate results.
Embrace a small act of patient hope: Tonight, step outside or look through a window just as the sun sets. Acknowledge that the light is lingering a little longer than it did a month ago. Let that returning light be a reminder that your winter, too, is passing.
Conclusion
The heavy, quiet days of winter are drawing to a close, even if the chill remains in the air. We can hold tightly to hope without having to deny the genuine hardships of the cold. The season of waiting is passing, and new life is faithfully making its way to you, even if it is not yet fully visible.
May you find peace in the stillness, courage in the waiting, and a deep, abiding trust that the same God who warms the earth is tending tenderly to your soul.
Prayer
Gracious and eternal God, we thank You for being wonderfully present in every season of our lives—in the bitter cold of our winters and in the joyful warmth of our springs. As we stand in this in-between space, we ask for the patience to trust Your perfect timing. When we are tired of waiting and tempted to force our own way, quiet our restless hearts. Give us the eyes to notice the returning light, the faith to believe in the growth happening beneath the frost, and the enduring hope that new life is always on the way. Keep us rooted in Your love as we wait for the thaw. Amen.
Devotional by: Kenny Sallee, ThM — Deming, NM, USA
The Bible texts are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible, copyright © 1989, 1993, the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
