Job 14:7
“For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.”
My wife has a pretty decent green thumb. She takes care of the flowerbed at our house because if it was up to me the flowers would probably all die. At the end of every fall, I watch her cut back some of the plants in the flowerbed. To be honest with you, every year I think she is going to kill them because she cuts them back so much. Yet, it always amazes me how the next year when springtime comes those flowers that are cut back begin to grow and blossom into pretty flowers. If she had not cut them back, they would not give those pretty blossoms.
This is exactly what the verse above is talking about. Job says, “For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down…” This is talking about the pruning of a tree right before wintertime comes. He continues in the next verse by telling how the roots wax old in the earth and the stock of the tree seems to die. But in verse 9 he says, “Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.” In other words, when the showers of spring begin, “the scent of water”, all of a sudden the tree that seems to be dead begins to show life and buds begin to sprout on that which seemed dead. In these verses there are some valuable lessons we can learn about life.
First, life has seasons. As much as we love the springtime flowers, we must understand that we must go through the dead of winter to get those flowers. Life cannot always be enjoyable. You need the cold winter seasons of life if you want to grow. Without winter, your roots cannot get deeper. Without winter, you cannot grow. Without winter, the bug that would destroy your life cannot be killed. You need winter seasons in life so that you can grow. As much as you may hate the winter seasons of life, you need them if you are going to grow.
Second, God must cut you back at times so that you can grow greater when springtime comes. God has to cut off the old so that you can grow anew. God oftentimes prunes us so that we can grow. If all you do is rely upon the old branches to bring forth new growth, then you will eventually die. The old branches will literally kill the plant if they are not pruned. God at times must cut you back through pruning so that you can continue to flourish in the Christian life.
Third, springtime will come. When you feel that you are going to die as you go through the winter season of your life, always remember that springtime will come. I can certainly understand the horrible feeling of enduring winter, but springtime always comes. You must not give up before the “scent of water” comes.
Christian, just as Job went through a pruning and a winter season in his life, so you must go through the same. Job was a good man, but he became a better man because of the pruning and winter. Don’t give up before you get the “scent of water.” Understand that God must send you through these times so that you can flourish as a Christian. These winter seasons you endure will help your roots to grow deeper which will cause you to flourish more. Springtime has always come, and it will come for you. Don’t give up!