Tree grown from a Mustard seed

Back when I first began my Christians journey, there was a running joke that you never pray for patience because God will give you a trial to help you build the patience you prayed for.

James 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

I started praying , “Lord give me the patience to go through the trial I already have.”

I have since come to understand that God isn’t a trickster waiting for you to accidentally pray something he can use to put you into a trial. God is a loving father who can see what is ahead in your life and, like all loving parents, he will prepare you for it if you let him.

I had a situation one time that was really hard to figure a why out of. No matter how I imaged a way out of it, it turned out bad. My prayer to God was, “Please protect me from this situation.” Then one night, I prayed, “God, please fix this situation.” The next thing that happened was a trial began that laid open the whole problem and forced me to deal with it. That in itself was painful….and while there were other parts of this trial that were difficult, the first part where It was all laid out was the hardest. After that, everything was recovery. Because I could do very little to help the situation, I just obeyed God… I had to allow God to take the wheel and work it all out. I saw amazing things happen, things I never would have imagined. After it was all over, and I looked back on the entire thing, I can see that God was setting things up for my victory YEARS before I even prayed that prayer. The victory was always mine, I just had to take that first painful step towards it by handing God the reins. Every single part of the trial of my faith brought about something stronger than I had before.

Before my battle, I was powerless and stuck. Now I have freedom and have been blessed constantly by the changes that came into my life during the battle.

Romans 8:27-29 ²⁷ And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.²⁹ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

One of the ways God speaks to me is with quick flashes in my mind of something that God knows I will understand. For example, I saw a tree being blown in the wind …. other trees around it were blown over, this tree was still bending with the wind. The roots were snapping off here and there, but there were stronger roots that had snapped off in previous storms that had grown back stronger, longer and deeper than they were before. The roots that snapped off during this storm are also going to grow back stronger, longer and deeper. The end result is this tree will grow stronger from this trial by wind. It will continue to provide branches for the birds to build houses on and shade for the people who rest under it.

It’s like the mustard seed that grows into a great tree. All great trees start from a tiny seed…but the trees that survive and grow strong are the ones who have strong roots. If you plant a tree in an area where the water is close to the surface and the conditions never test the roots, then the roots won’t be strong. But if you plant a tree in an area where the roots have to go deep to tap into the water and the winds test the roots, the tree will be stronger. Like our trials, we need roots tapped into the living water that are strong enough to hold us upright under the harsh conditions. The only way to achieve that is by many trials along the way. The more trials, the stronger the faith.

Matthew 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

I saw something like this too.

A caterpillar changed to a butterfly….he goes from a plain looking caterpillar inching along on its legs to a beautiful and colorful butterfly flying around where ever it wants to go. The caterpillar has everything it needs to undergo this change inside itself. When the time is right, the caterpillar will attach to a branch, his body hanging straight down, his skin will split open at the bottom and the chrysalis will appear. The caterpillar sheds his old outer layer before his new form is even made…. he does this because nature compels him to trust the process, let go of the old and wait for the new. The butterfly grows in the chrysalis until the time comes to shed it.

There is a time in our trials where we need to enter into our prayer closet and seek God for guidance. Allow God to show us areas we need to repent for…and areas we need to submit to him and trust him with. God is calling us to walk by faith…and to trust him in all things. This is not just a Christian phrase we repeat without thought…. this is our way of life, or we die. Any area we don’t give to God to control is an idol. So, sometimes we need to shed what we know and wait for what God has for us that is better. We need to rid ourselves of anything that hinders complete trust in God….and a lot of time that is the need to do it our own way.

God wants all of us… he’s God… the same God that knows exactly how many hairs you have on your head… so he can handle our problems. He isn’t like our parents who wanted us to deal with problems ourselves, God wants to be a part of everything. He won’t take away the trial, but he will show you how to get through it, one step at a time. Doors will open, some will shut, but when you arrive at the end you will be stronger and wiser than when you began.

Prayer: Lord God, in the sweet name of Jesus, I come to you. I praise you for this battle before me because I know this is an opportunity for growth and because I know you are allowing this to make me stronger. I know you are going to work for my good because I love you and trust you, and you are preparing me for my future. Lord, sometimes I feel down and very discouraged, but I know you are still there. As painful as this battle is, I know the victory make it all worth the fight. I love you Lord, Amen

 Psalms 23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. ² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.³ He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
(a rod and staff are for correction and guidance)
⁵ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
(at the end of the valley of the shadow of death…. following the correction and guidance of the Lord, he sets a table for you in front of your enemies… his blessings upon you in abundance.)⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.