Worn Around the Edges

Lessons from My Garden - Part 3

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—II Thessalonians 1:3-5


Into each life some rain must fall.
HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW, "The Rainy Day"

These plants were beautiful, standing tall and green full of life and beauty. Slowly the sun began to shine brighter, the air which was cool and refreshing became hot, lasting longer day by day. In addition, to the summer months pressing on, moths and insects now made their homes in the cool dirt and the leaves became full of holes, green turning to yellow. In essence, the beauty began to flee and the leaves began to look worn and tired from the weather and outside circumstances. 

So many of us are like the leaves. We start out fresh and renewed until our schedules overtake our peace and quiet, kids get sick, stress and worries keep us up late at night and we can't find rest. We find ourselves stretched so thin that we long for a more simple, less complicated life. Why do hardships of life come? It says in the quote above that rain falls in all of our lives. There are seasons of life where rain falls more than for others. And for some who are blessed enough to escape the storms of life, there time is yet to come. 

In the above passage it says that afflictions and hardships bring out the best and worst in us, preparing us to be worthy of the Kingdom. We spend a lifetime, preparing for eternity. Most of us need many years to refine us to be more like Him.

It is quite normal to us to have holes and yellow leaves, some from our own mistakes and failures, others are just allowed to refine us. So how do we find rest as we feel weary and tired?

Matthew 11 says it best, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (verses 28-31)