The threat of the winter months is just about gone and spring has arrived. New life that has been hard at work under the soil and inside of the bark is springing up and coming forth. This is also the time where things that had died during the winter months are exposed because there is no life in them. It is the time for pruning back the dead things and making room for the new life to come forth and grow. It is time to get the seeds planted and to get the ground prepared to receive the plants for the garden to produce a harvest.

This is also what is going on in some of our individual lives. It is an exciting time of rejoicing in the new life that is coming forth.

There are times when a marriage will have winter months. There will be moments that will seem like there is no life left, but it is just sleeping or hibernating – nesting the seeds and harvest that was gathered during the fall season.

The seeds that were planted are becoming rooted and grounded, maturing and strengthening and working their way to the surface to show forth life. It is known as working behind the scenes, having faith that even if it is not seen, you know that changes are happening.

It is this time, during the winter months, that it is very critical to stay close to God, your life line. It very well could be the place of life and death, especially for a marriage that had a hard “fall” season – harvest season of preparation for the winter months.

God will tell you what you should or should not do to prepare for the winter. But it is up to you to do the work. It is best when the both of you are working together in unity to push through the ground together and be able to grow and gather at harvest time along with maintaining the fields of the harvest. In other words you should be working together in unity during each phase of the seasons with God as your source of life.

During the season of spring, it is a busy time of pruning, preparing, and making room for the new things to take place where the marriage will flourish into beauty and fruit for others to partake of.

When the pruning takes place, it is the realization that something has died or has become a poison that is causing death to the marriage that must be removed. It could be the past mistakes, betrayal, pain, an idol that has been placed before God and your spouse, an addiction, unforgiveness, etc. The pruning process is not a comfortable one but it is necessary.

It is in the season of spring that it is a good time to allow the dead to be pruned and allow the new birthing of life to take place. When you cut off the dead branches of something, not only does it remove the extra burden and weight of having to carry something that is not beneficial to keep the thing alive, but it also gives the thing that is growing the opportunity to branch out.

But just like all seasons they come to an end and another cycle begins. If the marriage has completely died, one of two things will need to happen so that life can take place. Either one, you ask God to resurrect your marriage or God may tell you it is finished and move on.

However God decides to bring new life and new assignments to you during this spring season, keep in mind that all the preparation that takes place is all to bring a great harvest for the fall that will help you through your next winter months.

Rejoice and be glad in all that takes place in this season. Open your eyes to see the new life take form and welcome it in your marriage. New life is watered with hope and grown with love. When the light of Jesus Christ is daily applied and God is placed first and foremost in the marriage, resurrection power can be applied and it can flourish and produce for the kingdom of God.