Taking A Beating? Be Thankful…

I love spring in Colorado.

We get lots of rain and it quenches the ground which is desperate for nourishment after a cold, harsh winter.  The afternoon thunderstorms remind me – on a smaller scale – of the storms we’d get in Texas while I was growing up.  They were like everything else in Texas… big.  There was something about them that I loved and admired.

In anticipation of these nourishing rains, we recently planted our garden and filled it with tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins, zucchini and other such yummy veggies.

Planting day is a big deal in the Scott family and we take a lot of time planning the garden.  We pick out the best looking veggies, purchase the finest soil Home Depot has to offer, gently plant them in the dirt according to the directions, and water them with care so they have what they need to produce the beautiful crop we envision.

But the other day, they took a beating from the storm.

At first… when we saw the damage and stress the rain and hail caused these plants… we felt a little sad for the pounding they received.  Some of their stems were broken which left some of the leaves barely hanging on.  Many were laying on their sides rather than standing tall reaching towards the heavens.

We wondered… was all our effort wasted?

But guess what we discovered the next day.  The pummeled plants had miraculously bounced back.  Sure there was still some residual damage… but those plants are now standing a little taller than before.  Although the rain had initially caused trouble, it had also given them an opportunity to grow.

I love this picture.

We are like those plants.  We have seasons in our lives where we get pounded on… beaten down.  Sometimes, we have done nothing to deserve it.  Maybe, we were just doing what God called us to do and it was unpopular.  Regardless of the reason, the rains came and we’ve been wounded.

But what is hard to see sometimes, especially in the midst of the pounding, is that those same rains that hurt us also cause us to grow.  Why?

Simple.  God allows the grueling because it is necessary for the growing.

When you feel beaten down by people or situations… when the storms of life seem overwhelming and you want to just give up… know that your Heavenly Gardener is at work to restore you and grow you!

And believe that because of His love and care, the next day (or some day soon) you will stand taller than before and will be able to weather the next storm.

Be thankful… for the rain only makes us stronger…