The other day I was feeling burdened, trapped, alone, and simply down. I was being enslaved by my past. So I decided to walk out to my Spiritual Growth tree. At this tree is the one of few places I can go to be close to God, but when I walked up to it.... It looked like God was no where to be found. My tree was almost completely dead. Leaves were being all droopy and falling off (and it's not even Fall yet). I was ready to just go back to my room when I heard a small quiet voice say to me, "Look under the branches." I went to go look, and when I did I found hope. Underneath all the droopiness and dead branches, new fresh green branches were beginning to come up. Where there is death, you'll find the birth of life.
When it looks like Death or Brokenness is knocking at your door, do not give up hope! Because the birth of Life is right behind it. God has declared it!!! Life is not over at the exile. Life does not end with death (spiritual, physical, or emotional). God has plans for a future and a hope for us, not death. God is going to finish the work God has started in us. We have life in Christ, even after the death comes! There is life out of death. Where there is death, you'll find the birth of life!!!
"For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not calamity to give you a future and a hope.'" - Jeremiah 29:11
"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." - Philippians 1:6
"For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh." - 2 Corinthians 4:11
