The Weeping Willow

My wife and I recently took a walk along the surrounding area of our neighborhood, and I was delighted to have come across what has always been my favorite type of tree, The Willow Tree.

"Wow, look at that!" I said with amazement.

"I know that you love those," my wife replied.

"I wonder why that is?" She posited.

That question provoked me to look within myself, and ask why that particular tree was my favorite.

It certainly isn't the most heralded or famous of all the species of trees out there. I could've said the Mighty Redwoods in northern California are my favorite." Or, "The majestic Pines of Portland are my favorite." Both are common and popular responses. But, why in the world did, and does, this unsung hero of the tree genus, resonate so deeply, and so much with me?

After some reflection, the answer came to me, and it actually makes an awful lot of sense as to why.

The willow tree, or as it has been colloquially referred to for years now, "the weeping willow," inherently possesses a bittersweet quality that perhaps I can relate to.

It is, all at once, overwhelmingly beautiful, and deeply sad.

But, why then, would I find that appealing? Does my personality contain that much of a melancholic side? Yes melancholy is definitely a part of my personality, and there is certainly some truth to that.

But, as I have grown over the years, by the grace of God, coupled with a lot of hard work to go alongside, anyone that knows me, knows that I have actually become profoundly happy in my own skin, and life, even despite my, its challenges and imperfections.

The answer I think, instead lies in a profoundly indelible quote that I came across recently, made by who many consider to be the greatest Christian thinker and apologist of the 20th century, C.S. Lewis.

Lewis said the following,

"Of course, I quite agree that the Christian religion is, in the long run, a thing of unspeakable comfort. But it does not begin in comfort; it begins in the dismay I have been describing, and it is no use at all trying to go on to that comfort without first going through that dismay...comfort is the one thing you cannot get by looking for it."

Wow . . .

As I look at the aforementioned quote, in all it's poignancy, and ask myself if that is my experience, or even whether it is the human experience in general, I can answer that question with a resounding, "yes!"

Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son Of The Living God, and second person of The Holy Trinity, famously remarked in the scriptures, "Know the truth, and the truth will make you free." (John 8:32)

This is a remarkably similar paradigm to the one that Lewis describes. When we insist on seeking out comfort our way, we may find what seems to comfort, but what ultimately will reveal itself to be a cheap imitation of it, rife instead with all sorts of guilt, remorse, self loathing, and a whole host of other undesirable repercussions.

But, when we actually extend to ourselves the gift of total and unsparing honesty regarding the actual spiritual, mental, and emotional condition in which we truly find ourselves, however painful that admission might be initially, there is a strange freedom, and comfort that starts to come to us.

If we look at the pattern of the life of Christ, we also can't ignore his death.

Before he could be resurrected by the Power of His Father, He had to be willing to take up his cross, and endure quite a brutal death. But, with the hope of the resurrection and all its life that laid ahead of him, he set his face like flint, and willingly put his trust in God and began the march that was set before him, receiving all glory, honor and power, and "the name above all names," (Phillipians 2: 9-11) as the result of it.

We would do well to accept whatever painful processes of sanctification that our Heavenly Father has set before us, knowing that we have every reason to be filled with the hope that He will work something incredible, beautiful, and powerful in and through us as the result of it!

There are three UNDENIABLE reasons for this aforementioned hope:

1.) As previously described above, that is the experience of our Savior

2.) That is what is promised to us in God's inerrant Word as heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ Jesus

There are two powerful and distinct passages of scripture that come to mind here

The first is in Hebrews Chapter 12 and verse 11,

11 "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."

The second can be found in Romans 8:28

28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

3. The testimonies and experiences of our brothers and sisters in Christ

I am one such brother in Christ whose experience EMPHATICALLY confirms the truth of God's Word, and His faithfulness in this area!

As a newcomer to alcoholics anonymous and a brand new believer in Christ in the early 2000s, I was incredibly grateful for my newfound faith in Jesus, and the tremendous joy and relief I felt from deep within that at last, now I KNEW that I was forgiven, and that heaven was my home!

However, AT THE SAME TIME, I carried so much emotional baggage, and internal confusion regarding my personal past, dysfunctional family, and previously broken and disappointing church experience, that I despaired as to whether or not any of these things would ever be solved, or if I would ever find the internal healing that I so desperately longed for, and needed.

Those earlier years were extremely difficult at times, but as I made the choice to continue to put my trust in God, show up for serious prayer time and bible study every morning, continued to meet with my sponsor to go through deep and thorough step work, and counselors to continue to engage in honest and effective therapy, The Lord delivered me of ALL of these issues and concerns, one at a time! 🙏🏼

What I once perceived as a shameful and dark past, God then began to empower me to start using as the very means by which I would start winning the confidences and trust of others. He faithfully continued to use me powerfully to help a whole host of alcoholics, and over the years, many non-alcoholics alike, many of whom were led to a relationship with Christ, and all of whom were taken through transformational processes of personal inventory, and effective biblical counsel!

Here's the amazing thing about it, If it has worked for me, it CAN AND WILL WORK FOR YOU!

Questions and Reflection:

Is there any heavy burden within me that I have been denying, or carrying for too long on my own, that needs to be discussed with a trusted friend or advisor at once?

Have I made peace with my past?

Prayer:

All Loving God, We honor You, and come into your presence with thanksgiving and praise today!

Lord, please continue to pour out your spirit of truth upon us, illuminating every nook and cranny of our souls, and even perhaps those dark secrets that we have woefully attempted to sweep under the rug and ultimately ignore, but to no avail, and only to our own misery, and detriment.

We Pray now God, that you would grant us the grace, and the desire necessary to have ears to hear and eyes to see what You reveal to us about ourselves in particular, and even moreso the willingness to do something about it God!

Empower us, as we go out from here, to be entirely honest with the right person that You provide for us Lord, telling them the WHOLE truth about ourselves and our pasts, Lord, without reservation, or holding anything back, that we might open up our souls and our entire beings to be filled completely with Your Spirit, Your Love, and Your Power, that you might also use us as a powerful and undeniable witness to others!

In Jesus' Name we Pray,

Amen!🙏🏼