The main thing that excites me about spring is the flowers it ushers in; and the signaling that warmer weather and longer days are on the horizon. But back to the flowers. The hard work, the planting, the tilling, the disturbing and the aching that accompanies said actions brings forth beauty. We cannot reach nor attain the beauty without the beastly. Yet most of us do not consider the difficulty that occurred in order for the display to be pleasing to the naked eye. In fact, most of us are yearning to escape the process that spawns the demonstration that neighbors and passerby’s and even furry four legged friends enjoy. Yet no one knows the turmoil. No one knows the intensity of the showers – yet the flowers come forth.
When the storms of life show up, they take no prisoners. So many persons close to me have been navigating a season of difficulty, of pain, disease and uncertainty of the extent to which they will prevail. I too have been enrolled in said course. My anecdote has been attempting as best I can to remain in a posture of worship. I am not suggesting that it’s easy – as a matter of fact, from moment to moment, I’ve had to fight what I really want to say in terms of colorful language as opposed to whispers of praise – and if I’m completely transparent, I may have expressed an intersection of both options a time or two. But while we concentrate so heavily on what is happening during the storm, it’s critically necessary for us to notice the environment after the storm. It’s lush, it’s bountiful, it’s rich with life, yet with little evidence of what happened beforehand. We must remind ourselves of Isaiah 43:1-2 that concurs, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” The storms can be atrocious, detrimental, devastating, sickening – and yet, affirming, declarative, deciding and savory. We don’t taste the latter during the storm, but we can hold to hope that after the storm is over, we are living flowers filled with beauty and splendor. And we mustn’t forget that during the storm, God is carrying us! Matthew 6:28-30 affirms, “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you–you of little faith?”
During the storm, God is clothing us, God is covering us, God is preparing us and purposing us for not only our right now storm, but the one in the rear and the right up ahead. But don’t fret, because He is God, He has already determined the type of flower your current trauma will produce. And it shall be beautiful because April showers still bring May flowers – today and always.
