February 2nd is the national phenomenon and unofficial holiday called Groundhog Day. The good folks in Pennsylvania pull an oversized rodent from its den to predict if winter will be wrapping up shortly or go on for all eternity. My guess is the latter this year!

Most recently, Groundhog Day is often known for the Bill Murray movie by the same name. The movie is about an overly self-centered weather caster being forced to live February 2nd over and over until he begins to understand that there is a better way to live and treat people. The over and over part is what is so funny to me. Without fail, for most of the movie, he wakes up and relives the previous day with varying success.

It always reminds me of my spiritual habits (I am a pastor you know!) and the need to continue to lean into them regardless of how I feel or how they seem to impact me or not. Let’s face it, day after day of anything can grow tiresome. But it is when I continue to persist through the tiresome periods that I often find breakthroughs. Instead of seeing being bored or weary as a sign to give up, we need to see it as a sign that we are close to something. Please don’t hear me saying that we shouldn’t find rest at times! But what I am saying is that just because you reach a dry patch doesn’t mean you are doing something wrong.

9 So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.

Galatians 6:9 (NRSV)