when life is disrupted by another’s fall
Based on the size of the stump, I can imagine the fallen tree made a great commotion. Some critters got displaced and the pathway hikers used to walk through the woods became blocked… Overall, the broken tree created a mess.
Do you feel that way about people you know who fall? Are you hurt by the resulting disruptions and inconveniences? Do you allow bitterness to creep in as you form judgments about their weakness?
Broken people break, and when they fall, they inevitably impact the lives of others around them. The hope that Jesus gives the broken is an opportunity for restoration.
And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast (1 Peter 5:10, NIV).
A better and stronger future is the picture God desires us to have for each broken person in our lives. Just as the tree stump became fertile ground for pine saplings to sprout, so our past failures or weaknesses under the heavy blows of life can become testimonies of overcoming when we surrender our lives to Jesus’ plan of redemption.
I want to believe there’s a better tomorrow for the one who feels broken and useless, don’t you? I want to see new life spring forth from what appeared dead in the natural. May we all be witnesses in the earth of the Almighty’s supernatural power to overcome death!