Stratification
In the wild, seed dormancy is usually overcome by the seed spending time in the ground through a winter period and having its hard seed coat softened up by frost and weathering action. By doing so the seed is undergoing a natural form of “stratification” or suffering or pretreatment. This cold moist period triggers the seed’s embryo, its growth and subsequent expansion eventually break through the softened seed coat in its search for sun and nutrients. When I look at the life of the bible characters like Moses, Joseph, and David they all had a period dormancy where it appeared nothing was happening, and then they went through their winter period. Jesus went into the wilderness. Some winters are of your own making some are not, in fact God allows us to go through the hard times in preparation. Invite someone today to take a closer look at Christ and his church and remember it is often when bad things happen that God is just preparing you.
