The seed, The tree, and every season in between.

The seed is probably one of the most amazing specimens our God has created. But it doesn’t even come close to how amazing you are, God’s greatest creation. But as we share the same creator, naturally, we would be similar in our existence.

The difference is that seeds live and breathe God’s will their entire lives without question, but we have the choice to live or not to live in alignment with God’s will.

When we read our bibles and meditate on His word, we realize that God wants us to align ourselves with His will. We see this in Jesus’ prayer just before he is arrested in Matthew 26:39:

“Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.””

Jesus is the perfect example of what God wants us to be. We are called to be as he is. And so, if Jesus lived to follow the will of the Father, we should too.

When we look at the life of the seed, we see God’s will in its purpose. It grows in seasons. First being buried, thrust into darkness. It remains underground, seemingly dead, yet when it is strong enough, it breaks through the surface and springs to life. But does it worry where it will get water from? Or sunshine, or nutrients? No, the Father provides.

It grows into a young tree, standing firmer now through the rain and the sun, continuing in its purpose. Trees shed their leaves for the winter. Those leaves fall to the soil and become the nutrients that the tree needs to flourish when summer returns.

Yet does the tree give up on its goal during the winter when it is cold and naked? Does it give up on hope when the storms come? No, because the winter is a crucial part of the seasonal cycle and the rains bring abundant nourishment.

Finally, it bears its fruit. But only in season. It can stand the entire year, yet only bear fruit in one month. Does it doubt its purpose every other month? Does it believe that it can’t bare fruit during the months it is bare? No, it is patient.

It bares fruit in abundance. Not for itself, but for every other living creature around it. It shares in what it has been blessed with. It provides food and nutrients for others. It never keeps the fruit for itself in fear of not having nutrition for tomorrow, for it trusts in the Lord to provide.

Jesus talks about himself being the true vine, us being the branches, and the Father being the the gardener who prunes the branches in John 15:1-7. Pruning a plant means cutting off and removing parts that hamper its growth. Cutting off is an uncomfortable and painful process, yet it is because of the pruning that more fruit grows.

Life has its sunshine. Life has its storms. Just as summer comes and goes, so does winter. Yet every year, the tree grows bigger and bares more fruit. Likewise, through all our happiness and our hardships, we grow closer to God. Your pain is what your Father in heaven will use to grow you and flourish you. Seek him more than ever.

A seed needs to be thrust into darkness before it can grow. A seed will always remain a seed until it is buried. But once it is submerged in the darkness of the earth, that’s where God does his work, and new life emerges.