Weeks ago, I noticed tight flower buds had popped out to decorate the bare limbs on my Bradford pear tree. A glance out my kitchen window days later revealed one cluster of newborn blossoms bouncing in the breeze.
Like God’s blessings in the Bible, the tiny flowers offered hope of more than I could see—more growth and beauty to come. More of God’s blessings. More opportunities to honor my Lord and serve others.
Around town I noticed purple flowers on Japanese magnolias and clumps of sunny daffodils. But I enjoyed the signs of spring in my yard and neighborhood the most. I thought of them as personalized gifts from God to my neighbors and me.
Examples of God’s gifts fill the pages of the Bible and offer hope for the ever-changing seasons of our lives.
Every season.
Hard ones and easy ones.
Those we choose and those that surprise us.
Examples of God’s gifts fill the pages of the Bible and offer hope for the ever-changing seasons of our lives. Click To TweetWhatever our challenges in this current season, God’s presence and His gifts assure us of His help and guidance and His promise to meet our needs. They also speak of spiritual growth and opportunities to serve in His kingdom’s work.
As buds and flowers decorate your yard and neighborhood with the hope of spring, notice God’s blessings in your life. When you study your Bible and pray, list His gifts you find especially dear in your current season. Ask God to let them blossom in your heart and offer the hope and help you need as you determine to honor Him each new morning.
That view from my kitchen window prompted me to stare in wonder. My Bradford pear stood covered in white, lacy blossoms like a bride anticipating her walk down the aisle.
In this season of my life, the tree’s beauty represents to me the assurance of God’s presence and the promise He will meet my needs as I seek Him first (Matthew 6:33). When we behold bouquets of His blessings in nature, let’s embrace the gifts in His Word as we walk into each new day with praise and service.
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Matthew 6:33 ESV
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV
Your Turn
Please share a dear-to-you verse or blessing in your current season or an encouraging one you held close during past challenges. Let’s encourage each other.
Isaiah 40:31 reminds me that our loving Father is always with us to help us through the hard times–when we’re tired, weary, discouraged–He is there to lift us up. Thank you for this message of hope. Praying, my friend.
Katherine, what a comforting verse you’ve shared. Aren’t we grateful God never changes or leaves us?
Lam.3:21-23 sustains me. “Yet this I call to mind”- I purposely remind myself of God’s presence and faithfulness of the past and He will be the same in my present. The rest of the. Erase assured me of his daily compassions toward me and hand-crafted mercies to meet me where I am.
Marilyn, I like your use of “hand-crafted” because we have the assurance in every season of life God knows our individual needs and promises to meet them.
Jeannie what a perfect reminder of blessings even in the hard things. 🍐 trees are notorious for their limbs breaking in heavy winds…also some of them are quite…er…”fragrant.” 😝 But it’s hard to find a more beautiful tree in the Spring. Better still, when they are planted in groups, their masses of lovely blossoms put on an amazing show. This is such a great reminder that even with our frailties and foibles, God gives us each a gift to share His beauty with the world. And when we mass together with friends all praising Him? What a sight!!! 🙂 ❤️
MK, thank you for this beautiful analogy. God does all things well—in nature and in our hearts. The more observant we are of His work in the Bible and in our world, the more assurance we have of His care.
Thank you Jeannie. You always know the words that do inspire! We definitely have different seasons to rely more on our Savior!
Lynn, thank you for kind words. Yes, different seasons, easy and hard, teach us to rely on Him.
Beautiful . . . just like you, my friend.
Thank you, Lori. I’m grateful God is using this new season to teach me.
John 14: 1-3 gives us God’s second greatest promise–the first being salvation. “I will come again” is a tremendous comfort in these troubled times.
Yes, Peggy. Thank you for sharing the hope in that verse.
“ A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Proverbs 17:22 NLT
It’s difficult to adhere to this proverb in certain times. But it is so true. Our attitudes determine how we are going to approach our day, new situations, and calamities. I just continue to strive to be thankful and cheerful. Some days it’s a struggle.
Deanna, I love that verse, too, and although some seasons are hard, we can trust God and enjoy His presence.
Jeannie, a verse that became dear to me during a difficult season is:
“It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.”
(Psalm 119:71)
There’s nothing like a difficult season to draw us to God’s Word! But I finally learned to seek Him in every season, not waiting for trouble to put me on my knees. His mercies are new EVERY morning.
Thank you sharing your words (and word-pictures) of blessings!
Glenda, seeking God in every season heightens our awareness of His presence and helps us learn from His Word. Thank you for sharing.
A love the Bible verse that says “His mercies are new every morning”. Some mornings are tough, but if we turn our eyes to the Lord, He will bring us blessings and glory and grace throughout the day. Thank you Jeannie for your sweet reminders of God’s faithfulness.
I agree, Sandy. When we look to Him and spend time in His Word, we see more of His blessings. Thank you for stopping by to read and comment.
A new verse for this season in my life is in Acts. Paul knew from God that he would survive a storm, and so would everyone on the ship. He believed things would happen just as God told him. That gave me such relief and peace recently. You should look up Acts 27:25. God keeps His promises.
Katy, thank you for reminding us of the truth in this verse. Our pastor preached on Acts 27 Sunday. God does keep His promises!
So many verses are rushing into my mind. My source of hope is found in Him (Rom. 15:13), my source of strength to face the next challenge (Phil 4:13), and my source of courage when I can’t understand where He is leading me (2 Cor 4:8-10). The verse I find myself leaning on the most in uncertain times is when Moses was installing Joshua as the leader of the Jewish people, Deuteronomy 31:8. As he (Moses) was speaking with Joshua, he reminded him, “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” We can’t always know where God is taking us my sweet friend, but we can be sure that wherever that is, He will lead us to it, be there with us, and lead us through it. God’s blessings my precious friend and sister-in-Christ.
J. D., I appreciate you sharing these verses that offer hope and give us courage as we trust God. I’m going to print your comments as reminders. Thank you.
I love all the things spring can teach us. And I pray you are adjusting to your new season of life. God is with us through each season. Blessings Jeannie
Jeannie,
I love ……He will never leave you nor forsake you; do not be discouraged or dismayed.
Deuteronomy 31:8
Thank you for your thoughtful words. I enjoy reading your devotions.
I’m thankful you enjoy reading the post, Sandy. I’m grateful for your kind comments which encourage me and this verse.
Jeannie,
I love the verse…And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.
Deuteronomy 31:8 NKJV
Sandy, thank you for adding this comforting verse. When we remember this truth, we can go into each day trusting our loving Father’s care.
His presence is dear to me, Yvonne, as I know it is to you and all believers. My season of life changed this past winter, but spring soon came and with it glorious signs of promise and hope. Thanks so much.