A few days ago I was discouraged. I went on a walk. The only person I don't feel bad about burdening with grievances is the Lord. He understands perfectly and He gives the wisest, most unexpected, and perfect advice. Whenever I am a tangled mess and come to Jesus for help, He gives me peace and understanding. When you feel his Spirit speaking to you, that is His voice to you. He is closer than we realize. Jesus is truly the Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace that Isaiah wrote about.
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there is no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice henceforth even forever." Isaiah 9:6-7. I like the last sentence of Isaiah 9:7 from the New Living Translation. "The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven's Armies will make this happen!" Jesus has a passionate commitment to each of us.
I stopped to see a small wild olive tree, a russian olive, that was reaching its branches out to the walking trail, almost like the tree wanted to be noticed. A couple years ago, I gained a love for wild olive trees after observing they have thorns. Plants with thorns are usually protecting some unique, special gifts. I didn't know wild olive trees had thorns- it felt like there was a message here. The wild olive tree reminded me of Jesus' crown of thorns, and his prayer in an olive grove for us. I began looking for wild olive trees, and nibbling on the edible little fruits that are sweet and tart. Then, in the spring, I learned wild olive flowers are yellow and shaped like a star or cross. The flowers are also sweet to eat- at least this particular variety is.
The flowers reminded me of Jesus. Yellow symbolizes hope. The star or cross shape also reminded me of the star when Jesus was born and of the cross that He would die on for us.
A few days ago when I needed some peace and clarity, I stopped to say hello to the wild olive tree that was reaching out to the walking trail. Touching its velvety soft leaves, I looked for the thorns and didn't see them until I felt their sharp prick at the end of a small new branch. The thorns were growing leaves! Almost all the thorns were covered in a soft velvet and growing into branches with soft velvety leaves. They had grown into branches that would bear fruit.
My heart understood what the Lord's message was: thorns don't stay thorns, they will bear fruit with time as they reach for more light. Jesus' painful crown of thorns bore fruit- the fruit is us. Jesus is our Light and the Truth.
I thought about how thorns or trials prepare you to have more understanding for others. Jesus understands us perfectly because of all the suffering He went through—the garden of Gethsemane and His intercession for us, the scourging, the crown of thorns, and the crucifixion. He not only went through all that suffering, but Jesus overcame it, triumphing over all of it. He gave perfect love and forgiveness as he suffered. What a wonderful God we worship!
I am the recipient of blessings from trials others have experienced as well. One of our children had to have surgery at birth. The pediatric surgeon who invented the surgery has an interesting back story. He was a medical student in Mexico when his son was born with a life-threatening condition. He traveled with his baby to a pediatric surgeon in Boston, hoping that there would be some surgery or anything that would save his son. Despite the huge efforts, he still lost his baby boy, then lost his marriage too. He interned with the pediatric surgeon in Boston that he had taken his baby to see. He became a pediatric surgeon, and invented a procedure that greatly improved the quality of life for thousands of children born with challenges. He has taught thousands of surgeons his approach and techniques, and instilled something else that was new, unheard of. He tells the pediatric surgeons that he trains that they are responsible for their patients follow up care for life- so that they can learn the sequelae of the surgeries they performed- good or bad, and learn from their mistakes. One of the things he tells families is that a tragedy can become the impetus for much good. And finding meaning in your suffering makes it bearable. I am so thankful for the direction he took with his heartbreak, that it didn't make him bitter, but instead more humble and focused on helping others.
Whatever difficult situation you are going through, the painful thorns will bear good fruit with time as you reach for more light and truth. Christ's crown of thorns bore fruit—it is you and me and the hope we have in Him and because of Him. He is our Light and helps us find our way.
