Knocked down!
My cousin told me a story I want to share with you. A tree she walks by each day got knocked down while it was small from a storm or the weight of the heavy snow. It was laid over on its side, mostly flat on the ground. It is incredible how resilient a tree can be after going through the storms of life. Each time my cousin walked by this little tree, she began to see a fantastic phenomenon. This tree began reaching toward the heavens with beautiful green leaves. The tree did not allow the storms around it to define its life but kept striving for the sun. It is not a perfect tree; it is crooked and deformed. But the tree has not let the storms of life get him down.
Have you ever seen a tree like this or something similar? I know I have. We go on many hikes in the mountains and through the woods. So many times, I stop and am amazed at the strangeness of some of the trees. And I am so curious about the story of the tree. Suppose the tree could only talk and tell us what happened to bring about such a deformity. I have seen some trees bent to one side and dead. But bent going the other direction is a living tree. A different type of tree that amazes me is when it forms a half circle. Incredibly, it can be a perfect half-circle without evidence of what caused it to divert to that form.
What about
The trees made me start to think about our lives. I know that many times in life, storms have come to me. Some of those storms have been small, but some have been very large. Sometimes I have wondered if I would live or die; some have been physical and some emotional. I am sure each one of you can relate. We all go through incredible trials. The “wind” blows so hard that we feel it is impossible to continue standing. And then there is the weight of the “snow” or maybe even the weight of a “rock.” The weight is so heavy we can’t possibly make it.
I think we can learn a lesson from the trees. When the storms of life are blowing, and life seems so overwhelming, we need to keep our eyes on the Son. Our experience will probably reshape us, but we know that as we keep our eyes on the Son, the reshaping will make our lives more beautiful. It may seem that we are deformed, but to those looking on, as long as we keep our eyes focused on the Son, they will see the beauty. And it will draw them closer to God. Once we have been reshaped, we can encourage others as they go through the reshaping process.
How
You may ask, “How can I keep looking up?” It is not always easy when you get knocked down; the pain is real. But I do know that it starts with a choice. The tree has to choose to keep striving toward the sun no matter how much pain it is enduring if it wants to survive. It grows through, around, and from the ground when completely knockdown. It has such a desire to live that the tree does whatever is necessary to make it happen. And there is only one thing that it has to do, choose to keep looking toward the sun.
We often get bogged down to the ground by our circumstances and trials. But we will stay down if we don’t start looking up. We have to choose, just like the tree, to keep our eyes fixed on the Son. And God will do a work in us that will transform and shape us into His image. Part of choosing and looking is spending time in God’s Word, claiming the promises that He has given us. We need to spend much time in prayer, keeping all our cares, sorrows, and needs before Him. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you” 1 Peter 5: 6-10.
Like the trees become more robust as they weather the storms, we get stronger as we keep our eyes focused on the Son. Every storm that comes our way that we survive through makes us stronger for the next and the next. And our characters get more and more refined, preparing us for the goal, which is heaven. In the Bible, Paul talks about his thorn in the flesh. And I love God’s response to him; it is a promise for us to claim. “And He said unto me, ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. We have the promises that even in our weakness, we can be strong because of Christ. He is our strength.
Dear Father,
I am so grateful for the strength. You provide. It is hard many times because we can’t feel it. At times You feel so far away from us when we are struggling. Thank You for the promises You give us. Help us share all our wants, joys, sorrows, cares, and fears with You. Thank You that we cannot burden or weary You. I am so grateful that you are not indifferent to our wants. Your heart of love is touched by our sorrows and our willingness to share them with You. I am so grateful that we can bring anything that perplexes us and that there is nothing too great or too small for You to bear. You rule the affairs of this universe, holding the world in Your hands. I am grateful that anything affecting our peace, You take notice. There is nothing too dark for You to read or too complex to untangle. You observe and care about every aspect of our lives; what love. I am grateful for Your all-consuming love and for always being there for us!
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
What are you struggling with today? Make a commitment to keep your eyes on the One that can bring you through.
Love you all!
What struggle have you gone through where you have seen the hand of God beside you and maybe even carrying you? I would love to hear your story. Comment below.