Daily Affirmations - Day 1- Be Strong, Take Courage, Wait: Give it Time
- Alisa B.
- 17 hours ago
- 3 min read
This week's Theme: Be Strong, Take Courage, Wait
Day 1: Give it Time
My little fig tree continues to teach me one valuable lesson after the other. In mid-November, in my blogpost I described my early doubts about my “Chicago Hardy”— doubts that over time gave way to great joy as the tree yielded a Year Three abundance of fruit.
My joy was amplified by great relief when after a scorching summer of severe drought, I learned that figs trees are generally able to tolerate drought. I was happy to discover that my fig tree was hardy enough to withstand, not just harsh Chicago winters, but blistering East Coast summers. (You can revisit that post by clicking the following link:)
In early March, I was thrilled, as I always am, to see the first signs of spring. But this year, I was particularly glad to see the signs of budding life after a colder, harsher winter than in recent years.
And after a string of dark, droopy, cloud-laden February days, the day finally came when I looked out my kitchen window and saw buds—on my cherry trees! My spirits continued to soar over the next few weeks as buds gave way to shoots and leaves, and finally beautiful pink and white cherry blossoms.
But from the fig tree— nothing. I wasn’t worried at first. But as March gave way to April, and brown dead gave way to vibrant green everywhere, I became a little concerned when the tree still seemed to show no signs of life. Little brown tips at the ends of the limbs seemed fragile and lifeless. Worse yet I found no promise of life in the few sprigs I tentatively cut to look for signs of green.
“I think my fig tree is dead!” I lamented to my sister-in-law at the Easter Sunday dinner-gathering (I had promised her a cutting). “Well, it’s still early,” my cousin chimed in. “Give it time.” I wasn’t convinced.
But the wise words he spoke to my pessimistic impatience proved to be justified. For, less than a week later, the brown tips magically morphed into lively green buds, slowly at first, and then with amazing alacrity. And before long, not just buds and shoots, but spreading leaves and tiny figs had sprung into life from every branch.
Later, I reflected on this simple but important reminder about rhythms and patterns in life that cannot be rushed. Scripture clearly shows us that there is a time to die (Ecclesiastes 3:2). Life certainly bears that out.
But Scripture also shows us that dormancy is not the same as death—and nature and its cycles teach us the value of patience and waiting, and of hope deferred. The psalmist David encouraged himself with the words, Wait for the Lord; be strong and... take courage and wait for the Lord (Psalm 27:14 NRSVUE). And the Lord Jesus Himself emphasized the certainty of change, and the importance of faith, patience, endurance, and of waiting (Matthew 10:22; Mark 4:16-17; Luke 12:36-37, 24:49; John 6:27, 12:24).
In the realm of the spirit, too, we learn important lessons in patient waiting—waiting for brown to turn to green, for dormancy to yield to vibrancy, for ancient ruins to be raised up on age-old foundations, for chaos and devastation to give way to revival and revitalization (Isaiah 58:12, 61:4).
And yes, even for death to be deposed by life everlasting through Jesus Christ its conqueror (Isaiah 25:7, Revelation 1:18). For the universe is under the authority of the God… who makes the dead alive and calls the things that are not as though they are (Romans 4:17- LEB).
And although it only concerned a little fig tree, it is ironic that I was so preoccupied with hopelessness and lifelessness on a day set apart to celebrate hope and life and resurrection. For even in the reality and cycles of life and death, of mourning and joy, we live in the hope of the One who said, “I am the resurrection and the life…” (John 11:25).
And in the end, this simple fig tree reminds me that He also says, “Behold, I make all things new” (Revelation 21:5). Jesus will bring healing and renewal. But they, too, cannot be rushed. May God give us the patience and the endurance to just give it time.
