Beautiful Thorns

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”    —Romans 8:28

The other day my grandson, Gavin, and I took a ride on the mountain in his dad’s Rhino (a side-by-side ATV). We were actually looking for rattlesnakes sunning themselves on their favorite rocks, when we came across some beautiful yellow wildflowers. “We should pick some for Nana,” Gavin insisted. We ended our rattlesnake hunt and began the bouquet picking distraction.

We picked five or six different colored flowers, many of which most of us would call weeds. For this short summer season, they show off glorious reds, blues, whites, and yellows. As Gavin waded through head high weeds to pick an exceptionally deep red flower, I jokingly reminded him, “Watch where you put your foot and listen for buzzing sounds.” I was quite sure there were no snakes where he was but decided to get out of the Rhino and walk along with him.

On the way back, we came across some of my wife’s favorite flowers, daisies; so we stopped to pick a few long-stemmed ones. Our bouquet was beginning to look like a shock of wild hay. We needed some taller daisies to match. As I sat in the Rhino and Gavin selected some very nice daisies, I noticed a beautiful blanket of colors. The field of pretty blues and magentas was actually a large patch of very prickly thistles. I thought of the beauty of God’s creation and what most of us would call curses and nuisances. Remember; even roses have thorns.

From a birds-eye view, they are beautiful. Their purpose seems to be covering the earth with beauty and bringing praise to God the Creator. From our much lower human view, they appear to be nothing but pricks, scratches, and thorns. God reminded me of the many thorny experiences of this earthly life. From our perspective, they are painful and destructive. From God’s much higher viewpoint, the Lord sees purpose in each challenge and painful experience.

I believe Romans 8:28 describes God’s loving care for each of us. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Everything that happens in our lives is strained through God’s filter of love. If God permits a painful experience to come through, He uses it to glorify Himself and to bring some good result out of it for us. I do not believe God causes all things. Many of the evils in our lives are caused by Satan, sin in the world, and our own worldly choices. The scripture says, “God causes all things to work together for good.”

I, like many of you, have had my share of losses in life. My mother died from cancer at a young age. My sister was murdered after only three months of marriage. But through it all, God has comforted and strengthened me. I still do not understand, from God’s perspective, all the good the Lord has and is bringing from these painful experiences, (I may never know this side of heaven), but I still believe God is big enough and wise enough and loving enough to cause ALL THINGS to work together for my good.

As you pass through valleys and as you face the most painful experiences of this life, remember God loves you. God walks along with you. Call upon the Lord; Jesus will carry you through.