I was so excited to see this beautiful maple tree with the sun setting behind it while sitting and studying recently. It got me thinking, though — the tree had to lose all of its leaves, all of its beauty, in preparation for one of the harshest weather changes of the year: winter. After winter, though, the tree is rejuvenated and refreshed, ready for another batch of lush leaves.
This was an interesting reminder for me that the hardships we endure are not the end of the story. God will walk beside us, working with us, in us, and through us. That is the beauty of the situation. The beauty is not the relief of the hardship. It is the reassurance that our God is greater than any struggle we endure.