The Taking Away

I was thinking about life and the idea of losing things. Not like car keys or things of that nature but the things we try to build within ourselves to be somebody. I thought about areas of my life that seemed to take me a long time to develop only for something to happen and then feel like I lose it. This wasn't necessarily true in every area of life, I didn't always feel like I lost stuff, but what about those times I did feel that way? What did they mean? It didn't seem fair. So much time and effort only now to feel lost. Was it a waste?

It was at that moment I was taken back in a memory to several years ago to a summer when I began growing spices on my deck. I didn't hardly know anything about growing spices, but I had picked some plants out at the store and was curious to give it a try. One in particular was a lime basil plant that I picked because of the smell it gave off. With a little water and sunshine it quickly became tall and skinny and not very impressive. I don't think I even ever really cooked with it but I would often break off a sprig and crush the leaves between my fingers just to savor the aroma. It was divine. As the summer went on I began to notice that where I had broken off these small branches that two new branches would grow back in it's place, and where previously the plant was skinny, things were beginning to fill out. It was then that I got the idea to remove branches on purpose to make the plant more full and more beautiful. Summer was about over by the time I finally got the hang of it, making sure I was breaking off enough and not too much so the plant wouldn't be too bare. I had begun to understand the concept of pruning.

It was there I had gotten my answer. That was the moment that God took me back to, to understand loss. The image of two branches growing in the place were there once was just one. God was showing me that for whatever reason He saw fit, in some wisdom, He was going to make me more fruitful. Yes, something was removed, and yes, I did feel loss, but God's plan was never to hurt me and that I would end up producing much more than what I ever had before. This was His way of doing things.

Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.  Isaiah 61:7