Tuesday, January 29, 2013

One Option


I remember a story I heard Bill Johnson tell last year about a man who had one arm. He became an incredible raquetball player. When asked what his secret was, he replied,"Everyone else has to decide which arm to use, while I only have one option."

Bill went on to say that in Christianity today, we have too many options. 

Last fall, my friend Vicky came over to transplant a few of her flowers and plants to my newly-dug flower bed. It was a freezing cold day and I was ready to call it quits. She picked up a small plant and began to pull out a spindly vine entangled within the plant. Then she began to pound it until I thought it would break apart and be no good at all. Vicky looked up at me and said something I have never forgotten.
"It's okay. I want to get that other vine out of it, because it will spread throughout your whole bed. It looks fragile but it can take it. You'll see in the spring."

I knew, at that moment, that Holy Spirit was talking to me so I tucked it away inside. 

Four months later, I have been through the pounding along with my family. On the outside it looked for a time like we would not survive. But He knew we could take it. The way has not been easy, but spring will come and we will see.

In the meantime, I am learning to do with far less options. I wouldn't say I have only one, for God is gracious to provide so much. Nevertheless, my options all stem from Him, the One true vine. 

1 comment:

Nancy said...

I will surely remember this analogy as like you I feel I have been pounded over the last year and a half...I am praying that Spring will see God's hand in all we have been through and that we have been mounded into the gals He loves....Thank goodness we can depend on Him to know just how long and hard to pound.....Great post my friend....