Last week, my friend and I walked our dogs through a local trail. The snow had melted slightly, revealing innumerable branches from every single tree. A previous ice storm had weighed heavily on the trees, providing hiding places for chipmunks and rabbits, and lots of work for the groundskeeper.
God’s pruning.
This made me think about the pain in our life. We all face pain. Some more than others.
God doesn’t cause pain but it is allowed. Of course, this causes the universal question that must echo throughout the heavens every minute of every day.
Why?
I don’t know why but I do know that throughout the Bible, God says over and over again that he is with us, he will comfort us, he will heal us, he will strengthen us and give us peace.
Even if you don’t want these things from God, even if you don’t believe he is real, he loves you enough to be with you anyway. He will reveal himself to you in just the way you need it.
Because the Bible says he works things together for our good, there has to be some kind of good that comes from pain. Just like the trees along the trail that lost their branches, new growth will come.
This doesn’t mean some trees are not severely damaged.
It doesn’t mean a once full, beautiful tree is not going to look lopsided.
But aren’t we always amazed when we see tender, green buds sprouting from a tree we thought was dead?
How much more has God given humanity the ability to bloom again?
It doesn’t stop there because we were made to see beyond today. God took care of that, too. He set eternity in human hearts.
Not only does the Bible tell us he collects our tears, he promises one day he wipe away all of our tears and there will be no more death, grieving, crying, or pain.
This is something to live for!
This is something to believe for.
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Photo credit: docoverachiever via Foter.com / CC BY
when it hurts 