I’ll never forget that windy fall morning when I went into work and looked in horror where our signature Heritage Oak had fallen. It had been a focal point of the main entrance to the college, and located along one of the busiest roads in town. Beneath it, an old historic sign announced that you had arrived at our 100 year old campus. It was the most photographed tree of the entire college. It felt like a tragedy had happened, and I knew that the garden surrounding this spot would never be the same. It took days to saw up that old hulk of a tree and repair signs, irrigation, and lighting that had been destroyed when it fell. But an interesting thing soon began to happen. The plants, understory trees, and lawns in the vicinity began to flourish in the old tree’s absence. By the next spring I could actually say I did not miss the old tree as much any more.
In everyone’s life, come times when the unexpected happens. Sometimes these events bring tragedy, loss, and heartbreak that can upend our lives. A door, that seemed like a golden opportunity can slam shut, a simple misunderstanding can blossom into a full scale problem, or worse, an important life may be swept away. It is a tough world we live in, many trials can come our way, often without warning.
But try to keep this thing in mind. The things that seem bad right now are actually opening up gates of opportunity in some other place and at some other time in our life. Never believe for an instant that what has happened, or is happening right now will be the final chapter. Life goes on, and God’s purposes always have a way of working out. Sure things may look bleak now, but they may be necessary to clear the way for something much grander just around the corner.
That old Oak was a beautiful and stately tree. A lot of care and time had been put into caring for it, and it became the anchor and central focus of that part of our campus landscape. But when it fell, it opened up so many new possibilities, and allowed an overlooked area to flourish. The shade that it had cast over that entire area was now gone, and it allowed literally thousands of flowers to bloom like never before. Its roots had also been greedily stealing water and nutrients from the soil, which put a strain on the rest of the garden. With the gigantic Oak no longer there to compete against, the garden truly began to flourish. Even though losing the Oak was a great loss, the end result was actually a more beautiful and interesting landscape.
We must try to keep a broader perspective when we have suffered a loss or are going through hard trials. God may have something in mind that we have no idea of yet. Sometimes He has to rip something away from the tight grip we have on it, so that we can grab ahold of something far greater and beneficial. We’ll never know what may be coming in the days ahead. You can be sure as the sunrise each day, that we’ll suffer losses and endure some difficult days. But remember, God knows the future as well as the past. He has a plan for each of His children, and His plans are always for our good. He’s the one who can place that silver lining on every dark cloud that passes by. Don’t become disabled by trials, but instead, use them as springboards to launch into the next great opportunity God brings your way.