Cut Down but Not Destroyed

Not long ago I had some trees cut down in my yard. The breaking off of one tree precipitated it (see blog from last week). I looked around to see what other tree surgery I might want done at the same time. There were two holly bushes in the front yard that had grown way oversized and were covering up part of the front window, not to mention sticking everybody who brushed by with their prickly leaves. It was time for them to go, I figured.

The company who removed the trees for me did not do stump grinding, so everything was just cut down to ground level and left till I could get someone else in.

Between traveling, a busy schedule, calling around for quotes, and then the fact that you have to call “Miss Utility” a week before any digging type operations are done, there has been a lag time, allowing a few shoots to pop up.

Hmm, I thought. There must be a lesson here!

No matter what you do to a tree or vegetation where there is still life in it, it will grow back again – usually bigger and stronger – and maybe even with more runners or suckers to cause more plants or trees to grow besides just the main one. That could have good and bad implications for our life as well.

If there is a root of evil or a tendency to sin or a bad habit we’re trying to change, if it’s just pushed to the background and still left as a quiet, comfortable option, it will come back. Unless it's completely cut out and replaced with something stronger and better, there won't be any better growth. The same thing will just take root and cause the same problem.

This could translate into bad habits, temptations, or playing with fire, when we think we’ve learned or are strong enough to handle that area again. Being totally done and free from those negatives in our lives can only be accomplished by true repentance, meaning turning our back on them and walking away, never to return to those things again. God can do the healing and remove the desire completely from us, replacing it with his own desires for good.

On the good side, sometimes if we go through bad stuff, we can feel like we’re “cut to the quick.” But even through our pain, when everything seems to be as low as it can go (the stump), it will heal and grow up again. This time it will be stronger, different, and even more fruitful.

The picture to the right is of a new fig tree that has grown on the other side of our fence since last year, when it was cut down to nothing, as it was right on the fence line.

In these cutting down situations, we will be better off in many ways than we were before. We can be looking for God’s hand of mercy, grace and strength in our lives to build us up and bring us up to a higher level.

After all, we are here to get to know God and how he works so we won’t be strangers when we’re with him forever! No matter what you’re going through right now - good or bad, why not tell God you’re glad he’s always with you and has the best in mind for your life?! Let him continue to grow the good things in you and around you.