The Quiet Cup: Slow Winter Mornings

Winter mornings ask something different of me. 

The light comes later. The house stays quiet longer. The world doesn’t rush me into my to-do lists and plans the way it does in the warmer months. And yet, I often feel the urge to fight it: to turn on every light, to hurry my body awake, to expect myself to move at summer speed.

But winter resists that kind of striving.

Winter where I live can be incredibly dull. It’s not all that cold most days so there’s a very slim chance of snow; it’s just foggy and wet and crummy out. And of course, the sun doesn’t usually show up until the afternoon most days. It’s not my favorite way to wake up at all. I prefer the sun to greet me and spur me on with energy. The winter sun wakes slower than I do and spurs something different: rest. 

On these darker mornings, I’ve been trying to learn to let the quiet stay. I light a lamp instead of flipping on the overhead lights. I wrap my hands around a warm mug. I sit for a moment before doing, before planning, before fixing anything. I reach for my Bible before my homemaking checklist and calendar. There is a kindness in beginning the day slowly, as though the Lord Himself is saying, You don’t have to rush to meet Me. I am already here.

“Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,

    for in you I trust.

Make me know the way I should go,

    for to you I lift up my soul.”

- Psalm 143:8

This verse feels especially fitting in winter, when the morning light is gentle and delayed. God’s mercy does not depend on bright skies or early starts. His faithfulness meets us in the dimness, in the quiet, in the small hours when my coffee is still hot and my husband and toddler are still asleep. It’s not my natural way of being, but it’s a necessary season for us all. 

Winter mornings remind me that trust often looks like waiting. Like receiving the day instead of conquering it. Like believing that God is at work even when everything feels slow and hidden.

So today, I’m choosing not to hurry the light. I’m letting winter be winter, even just for the mornings (I’ve still got to get moving - it’s still January and I love the energy the new year brings!). I’m starting the morning quietly, with a cup, a prayer, and the steady confidence that God’s love will meet me right on time.

Happy resting in the Lord before stewarding His blessings well.