New Branches of Life

When life gets tough, we want solutions. Immediately. We want heartbreak, confusion, and physical pain all to just disappear.

But overcoming life’s obstacles is rarely easy. It takes faith. And patience. That’s how reality is constructed.

A few years ago, here in Colorado, a late spring snowstorm dumped a couple feet of heavy, wet snow. Tree limbs all over the neighborhood were broken. In my own backyard, one tree lost almost a third of its branches. Fortunately, the tree has recovered well. New branches have replaced the broken ones and leaves now sprout where empty spots used to be. But that recovery hasn’t happened overnight. It’s taken years.

Our own healing is like that. When a storm hits our lives, healing doesn’t come to us all at once, fully formed. It comes slowly, little by little, sometimes at such a slow pace that we don’t realize how far we’ve come until we look back.

When your circumstances seem hopeless, lean on your faith in Christ and the support of your family and friends. Take in their goodness, their strength, and their love for you. Then be patient and give yourself time to heal. Let it emerge at its own pace, gradually, day by day, like a tree sprouting branches of new life.

If you’re struggling and could use someone to talk to, give one of our counselors here at Focus on the Family a call at 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).