Coming to the end of oneself

Flourishing in the desert  

Alive in the fire 

Lord Soften My heart to hear yours

So often, we find ourselves battling in life a situation that seem so final, so much bigger than our ability to cope. It is during these times that we often lose hope, faith and even the ability to trust our maker. Having held death in my arms and kissing it bitter sweetness, I can understand the pains, and agony heartache can bring. Nevertheless, God has placed in nature lessons that we can glean wisdom and understanding from.

Flourishing in the desert

 The Lord revealed to me this morning as I was instructing my little girl on watering the plants. Some plants require lots of water and others die from a littler too much water. As I instructed her, the Lord revealed to me how He has created us like the Christmas cactus. Most of us sit fat and happy, not blossoming but content growing and satisfied at all that life has given, then others  our world seems to crash down around us slowly draining all that seem vital to life, until we are drooping and almost dead. This happened to me when my child died. I felt alone and without hope at times so drained of life, and yet so amazed at how the world could keep turning when my world seemed so devastated. However, it is in these times that we are stretched, and stressed, put to the test, where we truly find our strengths. In me through the shadows, the lord’s voice was so clear. In my weakness, He was strong and in my alone, he was ever closer. Like the cactus in order to truly flourish, grow, and break forth into bloom, we must be completely drained of all of us, and then comes the waited rain. Because we are so truly empty, He can pour into us such an abundance that, our sorrow breaks forth into o bloom, showing forth His splendor in us. His strength is made perfect in our weakness 2 Corinthians 12:9. Even though my darkness hour though tears still come to my eyes, it was also my clearest reality of the savior. As he poured into my empty vessel preparing it to be used for His glory. When you are feeling empty and your heart seems so broken into pieces give him the pieces let Him fill you anew and let Him use the story he has written upon your heartbreak for his glory as only He can.

Isaiah 35:2 (KJV) The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.

Alive in the fire

Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die   John 12:24

I recently heard how some pine cones cannot bring forth there life unless ravaged by fire. Are you willing to let the lord kindle a burning fire within you? Are you willing to face pain so that His strength can be made perfect in your weakness? Life is so delicate so easily stolen one day we are hopeful with plans and dreams and the next they have fallen crashed to the ground. We can never truly understand all that He does and why He chooses the paths for us, He does. I do know this and am certain when the fire comes upon you and you feel like you cannot bear any more. If you surrender to the flames, He brings such peace that even in the flames you will embrace there warmth. In the father, being one with Him, He is in the flame, in its pain that he is igniting life. The flames do die off and the smoke clears and through the cinders new sparks of life arise, not old life but new, something that could never have been created, without the burn.

Father let us flower in the deserts and embrace the flames, even when it hurts. Kindle within us the new life that is you, let us grow deep, and tap into the true water source which is you!

 – Melody Willment