Blooming Fig Trees

Many of you know the battle I am constantly in with worrying for my children. I have to be reminded of it constantly and lay it before the throne often. I can definitely say that I have given MUCH of that worry to The Lord in the past year or so and have been able to see a major difference in the more recent months because of that conscience effort to just continue leaving those worries at the cross. 

But, just the other day, the worries had begun to creep back in... Am I doing this well, are they doing ok, blah blah blah. When I know good and well, if I take a step back to look, that I am doing my best and that they are thriving. That's the interesting thing about worry. It's often so uncalled for. But, I was battling with it slipping back in. 

Then, I went to visit a friend who was just released from the hospital after having her appendix removed. She's a teacher and, of course, is missing out on a lot of work since the unexpected surgery. I asked her how she was doing and how that was affecting her, and she very boldly told me "I don't rely on that job, God is where I place my trust." wow. Step on my toes! When so much seems like it's going wrong, she was able to trust Him wholly. 

And, me, on the other hand? I have to literally make up problems to worry over, and yet, I still manage to do so. 

She shared this verse with me and it stuck:

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places.  (Habakkuk 3:17-19 ESV)

I love it, because I have to remind myself to rejoice even when the fig tree IS blossoming, let alone when it's not. 

A great reminder to be in the habit of praising Him whenever, so when the hard times really do come, we won't have any other options!