Don’t you just love this time of year? The warmer weather that awakens the bright colors and fresh smells of Spring from her slumber. It just does something to your spirit. It gives you that extra energy you’ve been searching for all Winter. It puts a little bounce in your step and a twinkle in your eye. It’s like we want to come out of hibernation…there’s people everywhere! It’s feels good.
The air smells so sweet and fresh from blossoming trees and opening flowers. It makes my walk with Noah (my Yorkie) a little more enjoyable. There’s a large bush in the yard just around the corner from my house that blossomed beautifully with vivid pink blooms during those warmer days we had in March and into April. I looked forward to seeing it every time I walked over that way. I would stop and stare at it as if drinking in its beauty to quench the lack I had from the past few months.
One morning as I stepped out to take my little Yorkie for a walk, a blast of cold air hit my face. I noticed the frosty windows on the car as my little dog pulled me out to the road. Uh oh. I started my walk and held my breath as I rounded the corner…my heart sank as I looked up to see that the pretty pink flowers on my favorite bush had turned an uncomely brown. I thought, “maybe there would be new blooms that would show themselves”, but each time I would inspect the bush, the flowers remained that unattractive brown color and I would look away and keep walking.
I was thinking the other day, how our journey with the Lord can be that way at times. We can be going about the Father’s business with peace in our hearts and smiles on our faces…then all of a sudden something happens or something is said that knocks our feet out from under us. The peace slips away and is subtly replaced with fear. The smiles change to wrinkles of worry worn across our foreheads. Our pretty pink blossoms turn an uncomely brown.
We try to figure out what went wrong and what we could have done differently. We want to change things and so we try everything within our own power to make the situation better…and the unattractive brown color remains.
And then, when we’ve exhausted all of our energy, all of our resources, and we’ve grown weary from trying…we give up the fight that roars within. That’s when we realize we are rendered powerless and we turn to THE ONE who is ALL POWERFUL…God the Father, who sees all and knows all. And with NO CONDEMNATION whatsoever, because HE is patient and kind and HIS love NEVER runs out, HE gathers us in HIS arms and rejoices over us with singing. HIS strength moves in on our weakness and peace invades our fearful hearts. The lines of worry soften and our mouths relax into a smile.
I don’t know about you but I want to live a LIFE of peace. No more battles raging within. I don’t know if I’ll ever get there but I’m learning that when I TRUST at ALL times from the “bottom of my heart and quit trying to figure things out on my own” (Prov 3:5) that I will be “like a tree planted by the water that extends its roots by the stream and will not fear when the heat (or frost) comes; But its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.” (Jer 17:7-8)
It began with a whisper, “TRUST IN ME”, and now it is blatantly etched in my mind and my heart, “TRUST! TRUST! TRUST IN ME!” That’s what I hear the Spirit of God speaking to me. That’s what I HAVE to do in order to be at peace at all times. I want to be like that tree bearing fruit at ALL times…even when things hurt or don’t go my way…even when I’ve been betrayed or heartbroken. TRUST IN GOD and bear good fruit. TRUST IN GOD and remain fragrant with beautiful pink blossoms…never turning brown.
I look forward to next Spring when I am able to enjoy the glorious pink colors of that bush on the corner as it awakens to the warm sunny days, but until then, as I walk past, observing the frost bitten blossoms, I am reminded that even in the difficult times of my life, when I TRUST GOD, I can still wear beautiful pink flowers giving off a sweet aroma that attracts others to HIM. And I am at peace. TRUST GOD and remain fruitful and full of beauty.