Lately, suffocating discouragement had engulfed me. Knowing this, my husband wanting to help suggested we go for a walk. While we were out, we passed an outdoor garden center, “do you want to go in and check it out?” he asked.
“No,” I said. “It’s the end of the season. Plants in there this time of year are for those who like to nurse dying plants back to life”.
As I said it, we laughed, remembering one of the first summers we were married. We had just moved to a place that gave us a yard of our own. In our excitement to spruce up the yard, we bought a beautiful basket of flowers for the front step. Our yard offered no shelter from the hot summer sun, and we were completely naïve about how to care for flowers. After several days of neglect, we discovered the unrelenting sun had scorched and completely dried out the plant. It was dead. Embarrassed by our failure we pitched the ruined pot onto our garbage heap, knowing it would be picked up the next day.
Weeks later, we heard a knock at our door. There stood our neighbour, a quiet elderly man. Here is your plant, he said, handing us a stunning basket of blooming flowers. Confused, we assured him the lush basket he held was not ours. Yes, he insisted this is your plant. I took it from the garbage pile and brought it back. It is yours. We were astonished by the tenderness and time this kind man gave our poorly mistreated plant. The best thing to ever happen to that plant was to be in our neighbour’s care.
Thinking of our left for dead plant, I reflected on how I was feeling. Recent circumstances left me struggling for hope, feeling blindsided by a sucker punch to the heart. Has your heart felt like it has been carelessly tossed onto life’s garbage heap? If so, what do you do? Where do you find the hope to move on?
Our walk reminded me there is hope and healing for any shrivelled heart if it finds itself in the right hands. The most compassionate and gentle hands are the hands of God. He loves us and understands our hurts, for He is the heart maker and the heart healer. God’s Word says “Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him” (Matt 6:8). “Man looks on the outward appearance but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). “Cast all your cares upon him for he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls”(Matt 11:29).
When a hurting heart finds its home in the compassionate nail scared hands of Christ, it will quickly recognize it is the best place to be.
Charlene Ramstead
Regina Beach, Lumsden, Craven, Southey Layperson
Comment on this at lmtimes.ca/minister
Disclaimer: opinions expressed are those of the writer.
