Since we have seasons in Minnesota, and an ample number of lake examples, here is an allegory of conversion for us to consider.

In the spring the sun heats the water surface. More heat is absorbed in the first few meters of water, and in order to extend the warmth further down into the depths of the lake, it must be physically stirred by wind. Spiritually, when we yield to the Light of God's Word and let the wind of the Spirit of God gently blow upon our lives, the depth of warmth increases, affecting our soul. We then become God’s habitation, a spiritual ecology if you will, where good things can grow rapidly and prosper.

Once spring warmth is established, lakes become thermodynamically stable. Even hurricane-strength winds will not cause a lake to destratify. When we become transparent and continually let the Light of God reach into our depths and change us, even the greatest storms of life cannot destabilize our Christ-like character.

In the fall, less solar radiation reaches the lake surface during the day and heat losses are greater at night. Cooling surface water is denser than the warmer water below and it sinks, forcing warm water up to the surface. These convective currents begin to weaken the stability of the lake. Because of the increased absence of light, eventually temperature differences in the lake strata are so slight that the lake undergoes fall overturn and mixes from top to bottom. When we remove ourselves even slightly from the Light of the Word, in our increased moments of darkness and weakness, the undercurrents of sin challenge our spiritual stability creating a complete overturn, mixing up our entire relationship with God and each other.

After the fall overturn, the lake is homoiothermous and mixed top to bottom. As light fades more quickly the surface freezes. Ice cover prevents mixing by the wind. If we continue to allow our character to be mixed up by sin, we become entirely resistive to Him and develop a hard surface that blocks the Light and Wind of God. Our hearts become like ice, cold and unaffected.

The closer a lake is to the direct light of the sun (equator) the more stable it is. The closer we are to the Light, the easier it is to develop the character that is most pleasing to God and everyone around us.