一年如何有四季，我們基督徒的經歷也照樣有四季。這就是說，我們經歷主，會經過夏天，也會經過冬天。冬天的經歷對我們是有幫助的，因為這樣的經歷使我們豫備好，在春天有新的開始。在冬天，各樣的生命都消減了；藉著冬天所發生的消減，生命就豫備好再長出來。因為在屬靈的經歷中，我們需要被消減，所以我們必須準備好在命定的時候過冬。我們可以說，加拉太書是一卷冬天的書，牠使我們消減，併除去一切不該長存的事物。然而，這個消減卻為著一個非常積極的目的：使我們豫備好，在生命裡有更進一步的長大。
我們都需要被消減。不僅在天然或屬世的事上，甚至在屬靈經歷的各方面，我們都需要被消減。為了在主裡更進一步的長大，我們需要被消減。在我們基督徒的生活中，有些事物也許很好，合乎聖經，並且是屬靈的；但只要這些事物不直接是基督自己，就不該長久在我們這裡有地位。在我們基督徒的生活中，惟有基督自己該有永久的地位。所有其他的事物，甚至最屬靈的經歷，都必須消減。為了使這個消減發生，神命定了冬天。在基督徒的生活中，我們絕不該盼望夏天沒有止境；反之，我們該盼望春、夏、秋、冬循環不已。每當我們對主的經歷到了冬天，我們該得著鼓勵，因為春天、夏天會在適當的時候來到。所以，我們該得著鼓勵，願意被消減，好使我們能有另一個新的開始。我希望加拉太書的這些信息能彀達到這一個目的。
Just as there are four seasons in the year, so there are seasons in our Christian experience. This means that in our experience with the Lord we pass through winter as well as summer. The winter experiences are helpful, for they prepare us for a new beginning, which comes in the spring. During the winter season the various kinds of life are reduced. Through the reduction that takes place in winter, life is prepared to grow again. Because in our spiritual experience there is the need for us to be reduced, we must be ready for winter at the appointed time. We may say that Galatians is a winter book, a book that reduces us and eliminates everything that should not be permanent. However, this reduction serves a very positive purpose: it prepares us for further growth in life.
We all need to be reduced. We need to be reduced not only in things that are natural or worldly, but even in the various aspects of our spiritual experience. For the sake of further growth in the Lord, we need to be reduced. Certain [2] things in our Christian life may be very good, scriptural, and spiritual. But as long as these things are not Christ Himself directly, they should not be given a place with us very long. Only Christ Himself should have a permanent place in our Christian life. All other things, even the most spiritual experiences, must be reduced. In order for this reduction to take place, God ordains winter. We should never expect to have an endless summer in the Christian life. On the contrary, we should expect the recurring cycle of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Whenever we come to a winter in our experience with the Lord, we should be encouraged that spring and summer will follow in due time. Therefore, we should be encouraged to be reduced in order to have another new beginning. It is my hope that these messages on Galatians will serve this purpose.
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