Five Minute Friday: Tree

I sat and looked at the trees around me. Barren branches reached for the sky. Only a few orange leaves still clung bravely to the branches. I wasn't sure how much longer they would hang on.

At first glance the trees looked dead. A sure sign that winter was on its way.

Wishing away the cold, my thoughts turned to spring. In just a few months, there would be life on the barren branches of the trees in front of me. Life that burst forth from within. Brilliant colours. Fragrant.

Then I realized something. We need the winter to appreciate the spring. These barren branches I was looking at right now are necessary. Without the contrast, I would miss the beauty of the new life that spring brings forth. The new life wouldn't catch my eye and look so grand without the barrenness of the branches now.

The same is true in our walk with God. We all have times when things feel dead - when there seems to be nothing growing in our lives. But it is those times that prepare us for the new life God wants to bring within us. New life that we might miss if things were always easy.

It was getting too cold to stay out any longer. But the image wouldn't leave my mind. The image of new life bursting forth from what looks to be dead and barren.


It's that time again. Five Minute Friday . . . except mine is a Saturday post this week. Joining in with the others over at Lisa-Jo Baker's blog for five minutes of writing on a given word. No editing or overthinking, just sharing what comes with each other. Today's word was "tree."