Category: Christian Allegory

Using Available Tools?

Posted on by S. J. Little
Various tools arranged together

 

Getting ready to leave the house, I smooth my hair, slip on a necklace and take a close look in the mirror.

No! I have a black hair growing on my chin!

I, as a female, am not pleased with this discovery. Indeed it must go before I face the world!

Immediately I try to grasp it between my fingernails to pull it out.

It takes me several tries to get the angle right, gaining some form of grip on that unwanted hair. I pull, but it doesn’t move. I try again… and again… That pesky hair refuses to budge.

With a frustrated sigh, I reach into the drawer beside me to retrieve my secret weapon – tweezers.

I grasp the hair with my tweezers and pull. Out it comes without a fuss.

As I put my tweezers away, I shake my head and smile. Why didn’t I simply get the tweezers out when I first discovered the hair? They were right beside me within easy reach. All I needed was to open the drawer and pull them out, yet I tried with my fingers several times before retrieving the tweezers.

Next time I will get the tweezers right away… or not. I have repeated this process many a time, and can hardly recall ever reaching for the tweezers until after trying several times unsuccessfully with my fingernails.

Unfortunately, the same is often true in far bigger parts of my life.

As a Christian, God has promised many things to me. In John 14:27, Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (NIV)

Jesus has given me peace. It is mine. However, just like with my tweezers, I must make the effort and take the time to pick it up and use it. “Do not let” is an action I must make with His help.

Far too often I try to use my own resources. I make a strategy to help me feel better, which can be good, but unless I tap into the resources and tools God has given me, I will never experience the peace He offers.

Okay, this all sounds good, but how do I actually not let my heart be troubled? My heart is often troubled as I listen to the news or scroll through Facebook.

Thankfully Jesus answers this question a few verses earlier.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me.” John 14:1 NIV

The New Living Translation uses the word “trust” in place of “believe.”

Easy? No. Worth it? Yes. Oh that I would learn to continuously believe that God is all He says He is.

And that’s not the only tool or resource God has given to me as His child.

Various tools lined up together

“His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1:3 CSB

 

The Time of Blossoms

Posted on by S. J. Little
Purple flowers with barren woods in background

 

Some years back, I was blessed to be able to spend several months in Germany. While there, I often sought time alone with God. One of my favourite places to walk by myself was a quiet wooded area with a gentle winding creek.

One afternoon, with only a few weeks left in my stay, I wandered down this same path. It was March. On recent walks, I had observed bold green grass poking its way past dull faded leaves from the autumn before. Today, however, I stopped in my tracks and stooped to look closer. A tiny purple flower smiled up at me.

A few inches away I spotted another delicate purple flower, and another. Straightening, I marveled at the multitude of these little flowers scattered richly throughout the emerging grass. A smile touched my face as I took in the beauty of it. It seemed to me that the forest was coming alive!

Walking further, I tried in vain not to step on the delicate beauties – they were everywhere! For so long this forest trail had consisted of tired browns and dull greens, but now new life sprung forth.

Suddenly a sober thought hit me. In mere weeks I would be leaving this place which I’d come to love. I would never see the full bloom of this quiet path I’d strolled along countless times.

It was then another thought came, like a question whispered into my heart: “Are you willing to follow Me, even if you never get to see the blossoms that come from your labour?”

I stood still, a sorrow deep in my soul. I knew my answer was yes, but it would require God’s help for me to remain diligent. At that moment I grieved a little for the blossoms I would never get to see.

The seeds of those delicate purple flowers laid dormant all winter. Only as spring came had they popped up overnight.

In the Bible we read:  “[Paul] planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 CSB

My role is to serve by planting seeds of the Gospel and watering where the seeds are already planted. However, it is God alone who can make those seeds grow. Whether or not I get to see the result of my planting and watering is up to Him.

What will this look like in my life? I don’t know. Rather, by God’s help I will follow Him, even when I don’t see the reward of my toil. I will trust Him to use my life, even when I can’t see it.

“But I said, ‘I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due me is in the LORD’s hand, and my reward is with my God.'” Isaiah 49:4 NIV

 

Looking back through history, there are examples of Christian men and women who obeyed God faithfully for years before seeing any blossoms spring up. Some of them never saw the result of their faithful labours. Can you think of any examples? Please comment below.