Falling Down

If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. 1 Cor. 10:12

 Things can be even worse than what they seem. Take for example a large Manitoba Maple tree we have in our back yard. Its there in front of the tree house. Its plain to see that its not in the best of state. And ever since we moved here we have been meaning to trim off the dead branches. I didn't want to give it up, the only option we ever contemplated was trimming the branches and even to my horror my husband wanted to cut them all off and start fresh. But that never happened. We considered putting the tree house in it but thankfully we decided it would be easier if we didn't. We had my long clothes line attached to it. My husband has climbed the tree a few times. So we never would have guessed that while I was sitting in my sitting room, on a drizzly afternoon, facing the window that is in view of this tree that I would out of nowhere hear a gentle collapsing sound of this whole entire tree come down!!

 Well I'll tell you, the first thing out of my mouth was praises to the Lord that no one was outside and got hurt. That of all the times they are outside playing, this day was drizzly off and on so I let them stay in and watch a video. Oh I was so thankful.
 When I went to go investigate the inners of the tree, it practically felt like a sponge. The wood exposed by the roots that were pulled up was squishy and wet feeling. Chunks could be torn off by my husband.
 And so it goes to show by example that as in the physical world things could be a lot worse than what they seem, so can situations in ones life. We see the doctor because he/she has the know how and tools to find out how we really are doing physically. And so we need to go to the Wonderful Counsellor (Isaiah 9:6) the Great Physician, so He can show us how we are really doing Spiritually, which in essence is all of whom we truly are. I recently read 1 Corinthians chapter 2, and was lead to pray for His discernment in my life through the study notes in my bible. Shortly after that I was challenged by an accident I had in the house. That made me see how I needed to rely on Christ and how my love for Him makes me grow the most. I believe praying for that discernment had been in preparation for what was to come that day. I see a little unhealthy bit of branches here and there Lord, help me to figure out why. Guide me Holy Spirit to cut off these dead branches, so they will not bring me down.  Almost a week later in my devotional Proverbs 27:12 is written: The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it. And it suggests in this devotion to pray that God will give you a spirit of discernment so that you will not fall into danger. With a close intimate relationship, we are making it possible for ourselves to be open, receptive, and able to hear what He is trying to say to us.
 Does there always have to be a reason why things seem to start going wrong or bad. I don't think so, because there is someone who is always working at bringing us down, who will use anything to do it. But God is stronger than Satan and God can always use for good what was intended for bad. (Genesis 50:20 You intended to harm me but God intended it all for good.)