Because life is but a single walk
through the woods, I have made it my goal to touch as many trees as I can along
the way. Naturally, not all the trees
are the same. Some trees will be so
fascinating that you may not want to let them go and move on to the next. Other trees need to be avoided at all
costs. Somewhere, during this walk
through the woods, you will meet a tree that has you totally besotted and you
want to continue your walk holding on to it; and perhaps, between the two of
you, a few other smaller trees will ‘emerge’ in these woods of life. Your very own little grove!
It has been my experience that some of
these paths through the woods will lead you to some difficult situations,
whereas other paths will bring much joy.
At times the ‘woods of life’ are basked in sunlight from above and you
can see the way clearly. I can also
recall times of darkness, disorientation and uncertainty as to which path to
take. For me, personally, it is at these
times on my journey that I turn to my faith.
I may not be the best advertisement for a God-fearing Christian, but I
am, all the same. I have said on many
occasions that I believe that God doesn’t make mistakes, but, as a mere mortal,
I can’t help but question some of His decisions. Of course, this is where one
must apply one’s faith; regardless. Not
always an easy thing to do. Faith is one
thing… applied faith is another altogether.
In recent times, I have watched a particular
grove in my neck of the woods take an absolute hammering. One of the younger trees, without warning,
just dropped to the ground and was no more.
The tree was far too young for this to happen; to stop being. This young tree had a name; Chad. He was my nephew.
Then one of the older trees in the
same grove just seemed to stop, literally.
It just stopped functioning. For
a while it was touch and go as to whether this tree would ever return to being
its normal self again. This older tree
also had a name; Rick. He was Chad’s
father.
I began to realise that although I
could still see the sunlight from my part of the woods, it was a time of
darkness, disorientation and uncertainty in that little grove. Their grove needed help. Their grove needed faith and, more
importantly, had to apply that faith by believing that no mistakes were being
made. And as I have said already, that
is a tough thing to do.
I am not an expert on the power of
prayer, but I do know that I tend to only use it when I am in need; comforting for
myself perhaps, or requests of help for others.
I have come to the progressive realisation that, when all is well in my
grove, I appear to have no need to apply my faith; through prayer or
otherwise. Others’ needs aside, perhaps
I don’t feel the need to burden the Chief Woodsman with messages of
thanksgiving when I am not in need of anything in particular.
In my past, I have had friends of a
similar likeness; meaning that when all is well and times are good, they are
around to share in the bounty of happiness.
However, when things ‘go south’ they are nowhere to be found when needed
most. I think they call them ‘good-times
friends’. If I am going to ‘apply’ my
faith, then I clearly need to reconsider my part in this relationship. Am I just a ‘good-time’ friend with the Chief
Woodsman but of the opposite kind?
Whereas ‘good-time’ friends tend to bail when you need them, I tend to
apply my faith at these times only, and whereas ‘good-time’ friends enjoy the glory
moments, I tend to shut Him out because I have no need for His abilities, His
strength and His kindness; unless ‘applying’ for others. It may well be that I am not applying my
faith as well as I thought. Fortunately
this is an easy fix. I don’t think there
is a need to stop submitting my requests; I just need to get in the habit of
applying my faith more often through the good times as well as the bad. To give thanks, as it were.
So now, when the woods go dark or
whether they are basked in sunlight, my walk should be so much easier. Now I can go about my trek through the woods
of life, touch all the trees I am able to, give thanks at day’s end, and submit
any needed requests to the Chief Woodsman with the knowledge that we are
partners; there for each other, and for others, through ‘thick and thin’.
How nice it is, even at the wise old age
of fifty-four, to know that there is still much learning and figuring out to do
as I continue my walk through the woods of life. How nice it is to know that there are still
going to be days where an Epiphany of sorts is waiting for me. And how grateful I am to be able to recognise
these moments, and respond with my own prayers of thanksgiving; and there were
many, many prayers of thanksgiving when my brother-in-law, Rick, the older tree
in his own little grove, fought back and recovered (with the help of the Chief
Woodsman in my humble opinion) and has rejoined the rest of us as we all continue
with our glorious walk.
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