View Blog Entry

Every year, I look forward to planting my vegetable garden, knowing my husband and I will enjoy fresh salads almost every evening for a period of time.

I get excited when I see my rhubarb, chives, and raspberry bushes wake up from their winter slumber. The spring and summer months invite me to a yearly bright and colorful foliage party. I never miss it and always praise God for His artwork in my yard.

But a few seasons ago, my yard party stalled and almost didn’t happen at all. When the heavens broke open on the last day in May with hail about the size of golf balls, fear gripped me for an hour as the hail pummeled our house.

I thanked God we had no broken windows and that our roof stayed intact. After the storm, I went outside to assess the damage. I was heartbroken. My garden had been beaten to a pulp, and my flowers were gone. My beautiful yard turned from hope and beauty to ruin and ugliness in less than an hour.

But God didn’t leave me there. Slowly, ever so slowly, my garden and flowers revived over the summer with restorative gifts of sunshine, gentle rains, and rainbows. Each day, I saw new promises of a beautiful yard—a comeback garden.

Isn’t that what God does with our lives too? One day we are a mess and feel hopeless as if there can be no comeback. But when we trust God and are patient, we can watch Him do mighty works to turn ruin and ugliness into hope and beauty again. God can replace the worst circumstances and grow afresh something beautiful. Isaiah calls it a spiritual comeback.

Storms in our lives are tough, but God’s steadfast calmness provides sources of joy to get us through. Rest assured, God will come alongside us with his love and comfort and even new surprises.

What will help you trust God for His restoration after difficult times?

(Photo courtesy of pixabay and Mirko_Fabian.)

(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)