when things seem hopeless…

A couple of years ago, a huge Spanish Oak tree in my dad’s front yard was struck by lightning. The lightning ripped through the bark of the tree, exposing the trunk all the way to the base. Everyone thought the tree would die. But my dad loves trees. So he hired an arborist to come over and see if there was any way to save the tree. My dad and the arborist worked on it for several months. They did what they could to save the tree. But eventually, all they could do was wait to see if the tree would actually survive.

As I was driving to my parents house over the weekend for our Thanksgiving lunch, I was thinking on a complicated situation in my life. I pulled my car up to the curb wondering if things would ever change. Tired and saddened, I whispered a prayer.

Then I pulled my coat tight, opened the car door and stepped out into the cold. There in front of me was that big Spanish Oak with little leaves growing right where the bark was ripped apart.

Okay, God.

I suppose if You can heal a tree, You can also heal me.

You can uncomplicate a complicated situation.

You can soothe and heal.

You will cause new and beautiful things to grow in unlikely places.

Come what may, I am a prisoner of hope because You are my stronghold. (Zechariah 9:12)

I believe God brings bright things in dark places. I believe He can heal when healing seems unlikely. And I will stand with Him even when things don’t make sense and seem too complicated to understand.

I am choosing to be a prisoner of hope.