Recently we had a fire close to our home that razed through the bushland in the middle of suburban streets. Firefighters arrived on mass and firefighting planes dropped retardant and water to douse the flames as smoke, ash and flames billowed meters into the sky. The area was left blackened, bare and quite desolate.
However today as we drove past the area one of my sons exclaimed that things were already growing back. It’s only been a few weeks, but already new, bright green shoots are springing up everywhere highlighted against their blackened surroundings.
This regrowth after a fire is actually a very visual reminder of how life often works. We can experience loss, disappointment and even suffer from the impact of death; either of a loved one, a dream lost or a relationship breakdown. But in amongst all of the hardship, new life suddenly appears. It might only be a few green shoots at first; a tiny symbol and reminder that our heart is in fact beating and we’re still breathing, but those green shoots represent life nonetheless.
Whether we wish to recognize it or not, everything that God creates is incredibly resilient. It’s made to grow; to recover, to survive and to thrive. Given the right conditions it will not only grow, (even if that means growing back from a destructive force), but will also flourish.
We also are God’s creation, and just as the bushland and natural surroundings do recover, we too are created and designed to survive, recover and bring forth and experience life.
And if we’ll determine to face and process even the most difficult circumstances and experiences in our lives, we will, even if we find ourselves down and covered by ash and dirt, recover.
Why? Because seeds grow in the dark and the dirt. Ideas, creativity, resilience and new life germinates in the ashes. Incredibly it’s often in these very difficult, desolate places that we learn and discover things we might never have expected or seen about ourselves, our surroundings or our futures. We rise from the ashes!
Today, if you feel like you’ve been razed by bushfires either literally or within yourself, be encouraged to keep going because we are created to recover. If you’re still breathing you have life in you yet to not only recover but to grow and flourish. The very thing that looked like it might destroy you may in fact end up being the source of and awakening of new beginnings, fresh opportunities and life in you.
“The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.” Psalm 145:14)
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? (Isaiah 43:18-19)
“…God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.” (Roman’s 4:17)
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
Prayer: Lord please help me to see that even when I am faced with things not going to plan, disappointments or loss that your hand is still on my life and that you promise that you will bring forth new life in me again. Thank you for new beginnings, new opportunities and joy today. In Jesus name Amen
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