What I Learned From Shoveling

Most of Central Ontario was greeted to a blast of winter this week.  Winter tires were rolling off the shelf and sales of snow brushes, scrapers, and shovels were at a record high.

It's crazy how God can use anything to teach me a lesson, including shoveling.  If you own a snow blower, no fair.  But more importantly, this is a lesson that might escape you as you easily win the battle against snow and do your best to blow it right back where it came from.

Here is what I have learned from shoveling:

• As hard as I try, as long as I live in Central Ontario, the snow will come.  I just have to keep plowing with my shovel until it is off the driveway.  I guess the same could be said for trials in our life.  We have a choice.  Either we get buried by them, or we stay focused on God or we persevere.  James 1: 2-4 - Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds,3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.)

• Just when you think the shoveling is done, the snowplow comes along and dumps a fresh mix of icy, heavy, snow that will take you longer to shovel than it took to clean the entire driveway! Sometimes life throws us more than we can handle.  Yes, I said more.  The Bible does not promise us that our problems will eventually go away.  In fact, sometimes they get worse. However, He does promise us that He will never leave us and promises peace. 1 Peter 5:7 - Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

I have also learned that sometimes God has to get me out of the house, drop a pile of snow in my driveway just to get some time alone with me.   It is a humbling thought, but I am thankful for the lessons learned.