By: Donna Martin
It had been a hectic week. Our work schedule had been busy. There were deadlines to make, forms to complete, calls to make. Many of my plans had not gone as expected. Tension was high and tempers had flared. I had tried all week to be thankful, to trust God, to accept interruptions as His divine appointments, but it seemed that time after time I had failed or fallen short. Instead of trusting and thanking I had chosen to complain and have a pity party. I had been rather miserable.
As I sat down to have my quiet time, I looked out and noticed the trees that lined the driveway just outside my window. Weeks before I had watched as each day the green leaves turned to red and gold. I had been thankful for the beauty and the changing seasons that God had given us. But today, I noticed that the tree with the golden leaves was completely bare. The strong winds had swept the leaves from the branches and now instead of sparkling gold it was bare and grey.
The verse I was reading was Isaiah 58:11. “The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”
After reading this verse, I looked out at the bare tree standing lonely beside the tree filled with bright red leaves. I had been like that tree. I had been blown here and there, and I felt empty and lonely. But this verse reminded me once again that God was there even when I did not feel him. He was there bending me, shaking me, molding me into the wife, mother, Nana, sister, friend that he wanted me to be. The bare tree would come to life again in the spring. And I could start this day afresh and anew with the reassurance that God was all I needed and that trusting in Him was the only way to true peace and contentment.
The Martins currently present “Happy Together” Marriage Enrichment Events for churches and organizations. To schedule an event call Michael at 940-735-1515. They are certified “Prepare/Enrich” Facilitators and are available to work with couples on an individual basis using the “Prepare/Enrich Assessment.” They publish a weekly “Happy Together” Blog about family and marriage issues. You can order copies of their new books Dancing With Death and 366 Tidbits We Have Learned in 14,610 Days of Marriage, read, and subscribe to their “Happy Together” Blog by logging onto the Martin’s website at www.happytogethermarriage.com.