STUCK IN THE MUD

I watched the leaves for the last few days blow from across the street into my ditch.    I waited until the few mornings of frost and rain came and those large maple leaves shrunk to one half their original size, still filling 5 lawn bag.

I went to rake them and some were harder to gather than others.  A few were stuck in the muddy portion of my ditch, hoping they would break free in the wind, to no avail.  My ditch is deep and holds some of the most fertile soil.  The grass that grows there is the greenest and healthiest in the yard.  The snow and rain rest in the bottom of the ditch but many things go over the top and pass on to the neighbor’s yards or street.

I began to understand how God often works in my life.  Many times I feel like that leaf, stuck in the mud in my ditch.  No matter how I try, I can’t move.  I feel as if the weight of a snow storm or a down pour of rain is flowing on top of me .  But, I always survive and seem to grow stronger when my summer season comes.  When I look back over time, even though many things have fallen in my path while stuck, I realize there are more perils that by passed me by because I was stuck in the ditch; protected in my own personal valley.

So the next time you feel as though you’re stuck in the mud or in a valley of your life, remember God has you there for a purpose.  Believe that there are dangers He is protecting you from while He sends the rich nourishment you need to grow for the places He has destined for you to go.  Don’t be discouraged, your season of strength and revitalization will come and your mud will turn to green grass once again