Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Icy Branches




One month ago, we were driving into town the morning after a night of sleeting rain. Everything was coated in ice. Like, everything was completely incased in ice! Grass, trees, cars, houses, anything that was out in the elements all night was icy and slick.

As we were driving, we saw at least five or six trees that had actually lost their branches because they had been so weighed down with ice wrapped around them. When I looked outside the window of our car, I noticed that every tree had branches that were drooped and hanging lower than normal. The trees that still clung to their fall leaves had been even more weighted, and those trees were the ones to loose their branches.

Do you think that we are similar to these icy branches? When we are faced with trials and tribulations in our lives, we feel a heavy weight bearing down on us. The trials that we face are just like the ice on the branches, it is cold and restricting, making us feel heavy and tired.

God sometimes asks us to let go of certain things that we wish to cling to because He knows what is going to be ahead. The pretty fall leaves had to die and fall from the branches. They had to let go of their leaves just as we, as humans, have to let go of our selfish wants, letting God look out for our needs. Now, let me clarify here, I’m not saying that we should let go of our dreams and desires, I’m saying that not all of our dreams fall in line with God’s plans. Sometimes we have to let go of our plans in order to see more clearly His plans.

If the autumn leaves had not fallen yet, the winter ice would have more to cling too, creating so much weight that the whole branch would have to give under the pressure and break off. When we don’t listen to God’s design for us, and we cling tightly to our “leaves” then when those trials come, and we have so much weight on our shoulders, we will break under the pressure.

God has designed the leaves on trees to fall off and die to prepare itself for winter. Even though the crunchy leaves seem hopeless, they are not. When they have fallen, they decompose and provide nutrients to the very tree they had fallen from. Leaves have a important purpose. Just like we ARE mean’t to go through certain seasons in life as the leaves do. The leaves bloom, bud, grow, change, and eventually fall away. But each of those seasons weren't lived for no reason. The “leaves” in our life that had once fallen away, those past experiences will help us in the future seasons in our lives. 

So, you ask, what about the trees that have kept their leaves attached and the ice has made their branches break, where is the metaphor in that? Is there hope for those trees? 

God is a God of second chances. Even third, forth, fifth chances! His everlasting love has made it possible for us to be forgiven. There is hope. We all have broken “branches” but guess what, as long as we believe that God is the Healer of those branches, then we will be healed. That very same part of us where the branch had fallen will grow a new branch. One that will be nourished and grow stronger than the branch before it. 

Notice that the ice weighed down ALL of the trees, not just the ones that still clung to their leaves. Trials come to ALL people, whether they are ready or not, but it is up to us how we will choose to deal with those trials. Will we bend under their weight? Most likely. Will we break? Well, that is up to us.

Remember that all of the trees bent under the pressure, but only those who kept their leaves broke. It was the trees who had prepared themselves by letting go of their leaves that were able to pop back up when the Son melted it.

Next time you are weighed down by a trial in your life, let the love of God melt away the ice that is keeping you from flourishing. Know that “This too shall pass.” And have faith in the future God has planned for you! 

Have you ever felt the weight of a icy branch in you life? Do you see the comparisons from these branches to our lives? How can we learn from our past mistakes? Do you believe that God has the power to forgive us when we break under pressure? Lets talk in the comments below! 
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Also, quick announcement, today marks my third year baptism anniversary! Three years ago, I remember sitting on the tractor with my mom and thinking about getting baptized. I asked myself, "What is holding me back?" and then I realized that nothing was. On December 12, 2015 I made the very important decision to get baptized. That day was and always will be so special to me.



16 comments:

  1. Loved this, Brooklyne! So good! <3 Thanks for posting!

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    1. Thanks for reading this devotional/object lesson, Skye! <3

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  3. This is profound. There's a lot of ice weighing me down lately but this post was such an encouragement

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    1. Why thank you, Jack! Although anything good that you got from this post is God using the words He gave me to write. I'm so glad that this post was encouraging to you! I'm going through some "icy branches" lately too, your not alone in this. Keep trusting Him. <3

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  4. Wow that was a really good post. Really good image comparison with the message! I like it! Something to think about... :) And happy (late) Baptism Anniversary! :D That's such a great reason to celebrate! :D

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    1. I'm so glad you enjoyed reading this comparison, Mallory! Your comments are always so encouraging to me, thank you! <3
      Yes, it is a good reason for celebration! I am so thankful for the family I have who made my baptism day especially special to me!

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  5. I'm so so sorry I took this long for me to catch up on your blog and reply. I love your ability to use such pretty analogies. The part about the branches with the dead leaves on them, and the reperesntions second chances, that was especally powerful. But, we should never wait too late because eventually we will run out of time for more chances, and God will take us away from this earth.

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    1. Thanks for reading. God uses object lessons to teach me, and I am so grateful that He has made it possible for me to turn those lessons into blog posts! Your right, Jesus is coming quickly. (Revelation 22:7) But I pray that we will be given however many chances we need in order to believe in Jesus and know what a Friend we have in Him. I am so glad that God never gives up on His Children.

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  6. I am so scared to make the decision to get baptized, I still don't know what is holding me back. I know I will try to in 2019! I will try to either do it a church or at a Lake but dad wants to do it but HATES the lake.:)

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    1. Deciding to get baptized is a big decision! I will pray that God will guide you and show you when His timing is right for you to get baptized. I think it would be pretty neat to get baptized in a lake! :) Thanks so much for commenting, Sydnee!

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