Sunday, November 19, 2023

When God's Already Provided


"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." (James 1:17)

Growing up, I relished the sweet fragrance of lilacs that threaded its way through our kitchen window each spring. Our backyard was home to three different varieties of lilacs and spring was their moment to shine.

I always wanted to have at least one lilac tree whenever we bought a house. But my 20s and 30s were filled with rental homes—so I would walk to homes in my neighborhood where lilacs blossomed each spring to get my lilac-fill.

When we purchased our first house this past summer, the listing mentioned having lilac trees. But when I asked the realtor and former owners, no one was sure where they would be—if they were on our property at all.

As our porch was covered in greenish-yellow pollen this past spring, I decided it was time to buy a single lilac tree. When I returned home from the nursery with my lilac tree, I walked around our property to find a good spot to plant it. And that’s when I noticed them—three lavender lilac trees blooming. I couldn’t believe it! Over the next couple of weeks, I would discover our yard was home to 18 lilac trees!

Here I was thinking I needed to make something happen, but God had already provided more lilacs than I could have asked for!

Sometimes we can miss how God is already giving us a good gift because we’re focused on what we should do to make something happen. Our Heavenly Father delights in reminding us of His love and provision.

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