Extremes

Picture by Caprice Miller

“They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.  It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.  It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” – Jeremiah 17:8

The extremes for winter and summer can be brutal.  I’ve heard stories about the artic temperatures of the long winters in the northern states.  And I have experienced the triple digits of long Texas Summers.   My own Michiganite brother-in-law refuses to visit Texas in the summer due to those triple digits.  I have to say, I don’t really have a desire to visit Michigan in the winter either.   However, being native to these areas, we each have our ways of dealing with the extremes.  We would probably be able to provide a survival guide if we visit each other during these extreme seasonal times.   If I had to endure the arctic temperatures of Michigan, I would feel safer knowing I had someone like him to guide me.  I trust that he cares for me enough to not let me freeze.  And I dare say that he trusts me (and his native Texan wife) enough to know that he would not spontaneously combust due to the heat in Texas.   We each know the secrets to not only survive where our roots are, but also thrive there too. 

In life, we find ourselves confronted with extremes too.   Things are going smoothly and suddenly … a relationship crumbles, you can’t pay your bills, the doctor gives a devastating diagnosis, you receive a life altering call.   The extremes of life can be debilitating and cause people to give up because they can’t see beyond the mountain of circumstances in front of them.  It’s in these times that we are reminded how important it is for our roots to grow deep where we can draw from life giving water.   When we trust in God in the good times, it is a natural response to call on Him first when we encounter life’s extremes.  We don’t have to wonder if we can trust Him at that time because we have already experienced His love in our lives.  We know that He loves and cares for us enough to bring us through the extremes.  We know that He is our life giving water.    And when others look into our lives and wonder how we will survive, they will see the roots of our faith drawing from God’s living water. 

If you are being confronted by life’s extremes, reach out to God and draw on His power for peace, strength and comfort.  And let someone know so they can pray with you.   You never know who God may put in your life to help you during this time.  These are secrets to surviving and thriving in the midst of the extremes.