I posted last year, around this same time, about my favorite tree, the Crepe Myrtle. I likened it to the seasons changing and what not. Well it's that time of year again, where my favorite tree is starting to loose it's luster. Some still look real good, as they probably bloomed a tad later; however you can see the tree's that bloomed early as the fluffy flowers they exude are now beginning to dry up and fall.
I've been reading a book lately called, "Never give up!" I'd like to share a short excerpt from it:
"God uses difficulties to make us people He can trust and people He can use. When we face adversity, we must have the spirit of a conqueror. David had to face Goliath before he could become King. We must not try to escape or avoid difficult situations while we are going through them. Instead we need to say, "God, if this is something I have to go through, then I am going through it victoriously. I want to go through it with the attitude of a conqueror. Whatever you want to do in my life through this, I want you to do. But one thing I ask, God, that you help me press past my feelings and behave in a godly manner all the way through it." Getting away from trouble never needs to be our goal; our goal needs to be to conquer it with Christlike attitudes and behaviors."
I don't about you, but that challenges me. Like the Crepe Myrtle that is now beginning to dry up, it's so easy to let our heart dry up, taking on offenses and becoming embittered. It's so easy to allow frustrations and impatience overtake the goal set before us. I want my blooms to stay ever so beautiful, not allowing anything, not anything, to take me off the mark. The place of God's purpose is the place of His power. That's where I want to stay, in the place of God's purpose. So long as I stay there, His power can work through me...and what a mighty place to be. How amazing is the Lord, that He would be so gracious to us, to allow us to be vessels for His power. Wow. Unlike the Crepe Myrtles that bloomed to early, perhaps before it was time...as they were tricked by the strange weather, now they are drying up before their time. But imagine, if we wait on the Lord, we bloom when He tells us to, we jump out of the boat when He says its time, we go when He says to go, imagine how lovely and prosperous our blooms will be. It does not make a difference the source of the trouble, if we can walk through it with the attitude of a conqueror, then we already have the victory. It starts with us.
