Like a Groundhog by Lisa Burkhardt Worley
God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25
I recently spoke at a conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, when God provided a treat. We were loading things into the car and nearby I saw a groundhog standing on his hind legs. Every year, on February 2, we hear the story about the groundhog. If he sees his shadow, we will have six more weeks of winter. If he does not, spring is coming! I took a photo, and did not think any more of it, until the next day. On the way to the airport, a large groundhog ran in front of our car. So I thought, God wants me to pay attention to the groundhog.
Groundhogs, also called woodchucks, are large rodents. They are one of the fourteen species of ground squirrels and are the largest members of the squirrel family. They can weigh thirteen pounds! Groundhogs also have sharp claws that they use to dig impressive burrows in the ground. Groundhogs are solitary creatures, and they spend their summers and falls stuffing themselves and taking naps in the sun. A groundhog typically sticks close to home and in the winter, they hibernate..[1]
So what does the groundhog have to do with us, or with our spiritual journey? There are seasons in our lives where God calls us to “hibernate.” Generally, he is asking us to take a step back from the frenzy to get alone with Him—to feed on His teaching and seek His direction. He wants us to take a nap in the sun!
And I am realizing that this is what He is asking me to do for a season. With a doctoral project coming to its conclusion, as well as another documentary wrapping up, I believe God is asking me to take at least the last two months of the year to seek His presence and slow down.
Are you worn out? Do you feel that your schedule is busting at the seams? Scripture says that Jesus took breaks, even when there were pressing needs around Him. When word about Him spread and the crowds increased, Luke 5:16 says, that “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
No person is designed to endure constant stress and busyness. We have to be like the groundhog. Sometimes God wants us to stick close to home and slow down.
What is the ground hog teaching you?
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[1] Alina Bradford, “Facts about Groundhogs,” livescience.com, https://www.livescience.com/57922-groundhog-facts.html