Saturday Read: The Last Day of February

February ends tomorrow, shortest month concluded. You began this month with whatever remained from January's failed resolutions, walked through Valentine's Day and its complications, observed Ash Wednesday and began Lent. Twenty-eight days (this year is a leap year, so 29) that contained winter fatigue, seasonal depression for some, and the slog of mid-winter when spring feels impossibly distant.

February has historically been the month of abandonment - gym memberships unused, Bible reading plans abandoned, commitments quietly broken. The enthusiasm of January met the reality of February and lost. This isn't failure; it's honesty. The question isn't whether you kept January's pace but whether you're still in the race at all.

Here's what matters more than your February performance: did you learn anything? Did January's failed resolutions teach you that willpower alone isn't sufficient? Did Ash Wednesday's ashes remind you that you're dust in need of grace? Did the first days of Lent expose what you're actually trusting in? If so, February wasn't wasted - it was education.

Paul wrote: "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:11-13). Notice "I have learned" - contentment wasn't natural; it was learned through experience. Probably through plenty of Februarys.

The verse we quote - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" - isn't about achieving whatever you want through positive thinking. It's about enduring whatever comes through Christ's strength. Paul's "all things" included shipwreck, imprisonment, beatings, hunger, and eventual execution. Not "I can accomplish any goal I set" but "I can survive any circumstance I face because Christ strengthens me."

So as February ends, resist two temptations. First, don't despair over failures. You're not saved by successfully keeping resolutions. Your worth isn't measured by February's performance. God's love for you isn't dependent on your consistency. Second, don't minimize growth that did happen. Small progress matters. Imperfect faithfulness counts. Still being in the race, even if you're limping, is better than having quit.

Tomorrow begins March, spring approaching (even if weather doesn't reflect it yet). Lent continues through these weeks, leading to Easter's promise of resurrection. The year is far from over. Your story isn't finished. God's faithfulness doesn't depend on your perfect months - it continues through all of them, strong months and weak ones, successful ones and struggling ones.

What will you carry from February into March? Hopefully not guilt over failures or pride over successes. Hopefully deeper understanding of your need for grace, clearer sight of what you're actually trusting in, and renewed commitment to depend on Christ's strength instead of your own. That's growth, even if it doesn't look impressive on a tracking spreadsheet.