As I walked the other day, I noticed so much beauty around me; it’s what I love about spring. What is it that makes spring so beautiful? The new life around us, the flowers in bloom, the leaves growing back on the trees, the sunshine and rain. There’s something else though that so many of us tend to overlook; something that makes spring truly beautiful is winter.

When we step into spring, we are stepping out of winter—the season of stark contrast to spring with barren trees, nothing in bloom; it’s cold, and the days are short. It’s this bleak season that gives us eyes to really see spring in all it’s glory as we are able to truly appreciate it.

What seasons in your life have made this one in particular really sparkle? Reaching the top of a mountain isn’t nearly as spectacular unless you’ve hit rock bottom first. Maybe you’re in your “rock bottom” season right now. Embrace it; surrender to it knowing it’s only for a season and each season serves a purpose. We must endure winter to get to spring.

I pray we learn to appreciate all seasons of life, even the less than beautiful ones. I pray we remember that rock bottom is what makes the mountain top so breathtaking. And lastly, I pray we can one day begin to see the unbeautiful thing as beautiful too.