Day 1:
I will trust God through all the changing seasons
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot…" (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2).
My mulberry tree stands, withered, and dry, little else but defeat oozing from its brittle, naked limbs. Hard to believe this ugly brown shell is even remotely connected to the flourishing tree of only a year ago!
A year ago—before cruel confusion launched an assault onto the lower bark of my beautiful, thriving tree—closing off access to all that gave life. In desperation, I called an arborist, but as I waited the three weeks for an appointment, I knew there'd be little hope. Several hundred dollars, he quoted, with no guarantee the tree would be saved. I said "No thanks," and tried to move on. I couldn't.
The valiant little tree lumbered on through the fall, and into the winter. When spring came, I could swear I saw signs of life. Breaking off small twigs, I searched for signs of renewal, some hint of green in the creeping, consuming brown. I watched, I prayed, I hoped that my "miracle tree" would pull through. It didn't. I was forced to confront the fact that the tree was truly dead. It was time to move on.
Move on. Easier said than done, in many instances. Grief, loss, death, pain, or adversity can threaten to overwhelm us and drive us deep into the mire. Of course, losing a tree can hardly be compared to the major traumas and tragedies in this life. For some of the most difficult, like death, divorce, and tough diagnoses, we need to adequately grieve in our own way, and at our own pace, seeking and/or accepting prayers, help and support.
But sometimes lesser frustrations, difficulties, the death of dreams, the dashing of expectations and hopes, and a million other types of losses can cause us to get "stuck"; trapped in pits of paralysis, discouragement, hopelessness or despair.
In the Old Testament story of King Saul's spiral downwards from his position of power (1 Samuel 15: 1-16:1), we see the prophet Samuel "stuck" in grief over his protégé. God had appointed Samuel to initiate Saul's royal career, and Samuel felt personally invested in the life and career of Israel's first king. When Saul lost his position, Samuel had difficulty moving on. Eventually God intervened:
The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king” (I Samuel 16:1).
In order to move on, Samuel needed a new focus, a new vision, a new outlook. God gave him a new task—a new set of responsibilities to create this shift. Samuel was finally able to move on. With new purpose and resolve, so can we.
Okay, so I'm planting a new tree!
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