God’s Creation Reveals…

I think we have all marveled at a glorious sunset, or the magnificence of the towering Rocky Mountains, or the vastness of the ocean and have clearly seen God’s greatness within them. 

We can witness the natural phenomenon of thunderstorms, blizzards, tsunamis, wildfires and other destructive forces and, despite the possible devastation, we witness God’s power through them. 

We gaze in wonder at the miracle of a newborn baby, or the delicate wings of a hummingbird, or the hilarity of some of the insects and ocean critters and we are awe-struck by the attention to detail of our amazing Creator. And sometimes His sense of humor!

But have you ever considered how much of creation ALSO models for us the many ways that God works THROUGH our trials?  Should we really be surprised by that?  What can we learn from that?  And can it give us any comfort?

Consider just a sampling of the ways a struggle is essential for growth in nature.  Some of those may be well-known to you; others may be new food for thought.

• The emperor moth must struggle to break free from the cocoon that has encased it during its infancy SO THAT its wings become strong enough to allow it to soar.  Man’s attempt at “freeing” the poor thing by widening the cocoon opening results in…death.

• When the eagle wants to rise above a storm quickly, it flies into the storm and uses the raging storm to lift it above the clouds. This eventually gives the eagle an opportunity to glide and rest its wings.  It USES the storm to reach calmer skies.

• Any good gardener knows that one of the very best ways to coax additional growth from plants is to prune them.  Take out the dead, unproductive parts.   Sometimes it seems almost cruel to the plant!  But the end result is more fruit, more growth, more production.  More of what the plant was intended for!

• Often, after some of the destructive forces we mentioned above, we are amazed at how quickly green growth appears.  What seemed like utter destruction resulted in a new beginning.

• There is some disagreement among scientists as to the effect of storms on a tree’s root system.  So, I will refrain from camping out on that phenomenon, even if there is some truth to it.  But, what they DO seem to agree on is that strong winds, in conjunction with a tree’s ability to SWAY with that wind, absolutely create a stronger trunk system.  The trees that are MOST protected in a forest are often the weakest.

I don’t think we have to use much of our imaginations to see some strong ties between the storms and struggles of nature and our OWN trials.  Shouldn’t that give us some degree of comfort? 

At the very least, I think it should cause us to realize that a trial is absolutely part of the process of growing.  And if we put our complete trust in the “Pruner,” we too can soar higher, produce more fruit, and develop a strong fortitude that we would not have without the trial.

I’m not saying your trials are any kind of picnic.  They aren’t.  I certainly wouldn’t wish the pain of my last 16 months on anyone – at least not by itself.  But since you will have trials in this life, I do pray that you can look through that trial, even through your tears, to the result that our loving God has intended for us.

Look for the blessing through the storm.  I promise you it’s there.  Even if it’s just in the knowledge that God walked through it with you, and brought you out of it.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.

Psalm 23:4