By Doug Creamer
The God of Through
There is always something to do if you love gardening. You never get it all done. There are projects waiting to be tackled. There are ALWAYS weeds that need to be pulled. There are always new flowers, shrubs, and plants that need a new home. Gardening is a fun adventure with plenty of rewards for all the hard work.
Speaking of rewards, we ate fresh green beans from the garden tonight. I have enjoyed some blueberries. My brother gave me a tomato plant for my birthday and I have eaten several tomato sandwiches off that plant with more to come. It’s not even July 4th. Our flowers are putting on a show, too. We have flowers in containers in various places around the house. We are also enjoying the daylilies blooming.
I am not sure I mentioned the adventure of putting up a fence around the garden. I had a friend come who did most of the work installing my fence. The fence has been doing its job keeping the deer out of the garden. We will get to enjoy more of the daylilies because of the fence. I am afraid the rabbits, squirrels, and turtles will still be enjoying the garden.
The other problem gardeners are facing is the lack of rain. We have had a dry spring and early summer. The hot spells are not helping either. A few lucky ones have enjoyed some thunderstorms, but at my house we have remained dry. Trying to get the flowers and vegetables through the dry weather is a challenge. Some plants have wilted in the heat while others have had their leaves turn brown. Gardening is full of challenges.
It’s not just gardening that is challenging; life is full of trials and difficulties. Here is just a short list of health-related issues from people that I know: bronchitis, neck and back surgeries, a broken wrist, ear surgery, heart issues including circulation and fainting spells, and someone facing open heart surgery. It’s hard to deal with all the ways our bodies are not cooperating. All these situations require people to make it through to the other side. I am praying for all of them to have a full recovery.
Getting through something is always challenging. If someone else is struggling to make it through it doesn’t seem as bad. We believe they can make it through and sometimes we find ways to encourage them along the way. However, when we have to find a way to make it through, that is a totally different story. We want to see the Lord move in the miraculous and bring us instant relief. But the more I observe life I am beginning to understand that God is very interested in walking us through the trials and difficulties to build our faith and trust in Him.
I have seen God move in miraculous ways and it is very exciting. I pray, hope, and believe God can and will move in the miraculous to bring healing. But I have also watched friends and loved ones being put in the position where they have to walk through the fire of difficulties so they can see firsthand that we really do have a loving and compassionate God who never leaves or forsakes us.
In my life, I have experienced God’s miraculous touch, but more often I have learned to walk through the challenges and learned to lean on Him. Each trial I have walked through has built my faith and deepened my trust in Him. I would rather have avoided the challenge altogether and seen God move miraculously, but knowing He has helped me reach the other side is important for my spiritual growth. It helps me understand and have compassion for others. Making it through builds endurance, perseverance, and faith.
Are you walking through something? Are you struggling to have faith in the midst of your circumstances? Don’t be discouraged, because we all struggle when we walk through difficult times. I want to encourage you to trust God to help you and to believe He will see you through to the other side. You become the winner! You become stronger! You become a mighty warrior in prayer! You become the overcomer! You develop a testimony to others who find themselves facing similar circumstances. You become a blessing because you have endured and made it to the other side. Hang in there…God is going to see you through your circumstances and you will be a stronger person with a deeper faith! Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com
