Harvesting Comfort

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; stuck down but not destroyed.
2 Corinthians 4:8-9

Two for one sale! I tossed a couple pints of red raspberries in my shopping cart. Yum! Later as I unpacked the groceries I popped raspberries in my mouth one at a time, so sweet and delicious. The taste brought back a vivid childhood memory of picking berries.

When we moved to Maryland I discovered raspberries grew all over my wooded neighborhood. For anyone with enough patience fruit was there for the taking. The only catch: raspberries have nasty thorns on their vines. The berries grew everywhere but dealing with the stickers was tricky business. I put on my jeans and a long sleeved denim shirt, grabbed a plastic bucket and set out. I started picking by the side of the road. When I’d found all the ripe berries there I carefully made my way over the vines and further into the thicket to search for more fresh fruit. Pretty soon I found myself surrounded by thorns, but sweet berries were within reach. I sampled a few and then a few more and finally started to fill my bucket to the brim. What a tasty harvest.

Some times surrounded by the nettles of life—worries and frustrations—I feel stuck with no help. However when I look carefully I see sweet comfort within reach. I find fruit when I look in Scripture. I find solace when I go to God in prayer. I see fresh renewal by observing nature. I reach out for love from my family. I am surrounded by God’s comfort even in the mist of life’s sticky problems. I have to look beyond the thorns and see the fruit waiting for me.

Dear Father, Open my eyes to the sweet comfort you offer me. Show me the fruits you have laid out to sustain me. Thank you for caring for your child even in times of frustration. Amen.

Posted 10/22/2008 @ 10:58 AM | Weekly Thoughts