When arctic air descends, it brings a pause to busy schedules—a slower pace. The coldness of winter has a way of pruning fractured limbs and burying lifeless leaves. Yet it is in the dismal dark and blistering cold that life awakens.

As I read the Genesis account of creation, I notice a revealing truth: God worked during the night shift. Moses records that “evening and morning” were His chosen hours of labor. This highlights a difficult and often forgotten reality—God works in the dark and the cold, in the very seasons and spaces we try hardest to avoid.

This mystery is written into the story of every seed. In winter seasons, most seeds remain buried. They wait as pruning begins—bitter winds blow, daylight warmth recedes, and strong limbs and beautiful leaves fall. These conditions create an environment that eliminates the acidity and growth inhibitors within the seed. As winter presses on, what appears to be an end of things around the seed coincidentally force the the beginning of life within it.

Whether or not you’re awed by the biology, this message is powerful: God works through the cold and the dark around us. From the bitter winds of betrayal to the fading warmth of friendships, to the fall of strong leaders and trusted friends, these moments work to remove the toxins within that keep us from stepping into the fullness of life. This truth helps in understanding what James, the brother of Jesus, meant when he wrote, “Count it all joy, knowing that the testing of your faith will produce…”

What will this testing—this winter season—produce in you? New life. A life that springs forth as toxic patterns of thought and behavior are neutralized in your soul.

It’s not a pleasant thought, but it is a cycle we cannot escape. As the cold weather passes, take a moment to allow the Holy Spirit to put an end to the inhibitors of your growth. Let the work of winter pull from your soul the things that are keeping you from new life.