As I pulled the weeds away from the beautiful rose bush’s base, I noticed the root ball had four sections. I wondered if I should leave them together or divide and place each section at different posts across the fence…
Just like the uprooting of my rose bush, some of my life’s leaves wilted, petals fell to the ground and a few of my branches produced more thorns than blossoms – at least for a while. God was pruning my ministry and my life, teaching me how to surrender my plans for His.
It was hard. But God was doing a new thing and allowing me to perceive it. (Is.43:19) That was five years ago and I can say without a doubt that I wouldn’t be the woman I am today if He had not uprooted me and planted me in a new place, with new dreams.
It’s easy to doubt God, ourselves and our futures when our lives feel uprooted and our dreams fall apart. For years, I had allowed pain in my past to hinder me from trusting God with my future. I allowed insecurities and fears to keep me from living in the assurance of His promises and the confidence of His love.
The only way I could surrender my former soil was to get rooted in God’s love. So I spent time with Jesus. He was all I had. Each time I wanted to cry or run, I took the broken pieces of my heart and my will and gave them to Him. I was honest with Him about how I felt. How disappointed I was. How mad I was. How hurt I was. How scared I was.
Each day I would ask Him to show me how to process my pain or my questions through His truth. How to rely on Him. How to embrace what He was doing so that I would become more like Him. I remember reading, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. “(Philippians 2:5-7)
As I asked Him to help me understand, I began to see How God could reveal more of Himself through me as I depended more on Him. Eventually those around me would enjoy the new blossoms that were produced through my surrender..
I read through the book of John, journaling each time I noticed Jesus laying down His comforts, His familiar places and people, His rights, His life – to bring glory to His Father. And each time I would let go a little more.
It taught me absolute dependence on God like I had never known and changed me from the inside out. I came to new place of trusting Him and experiencing His glory in my life and in my family. Even now we are living out the lesson of the rose bush as we make room for a new “planting of the Lord” in our lives. I invite you to read through my posts last week and see our little crown of beauty: a display of His glory revealed through a little girl who’s becoming part of our story!
What is God asking you to surrender? I’d love to know so I can pray for you! And if you’d like a chance to win a copy of my “Beyond the Shadow of Doubt” message on DVD, be sure to click on the word “comments” just below my name, then type in the white box. If you don’t have a blog, just click anonymous. It’d be fun to know your first name, age and city (& email address so I can let you know if you win)!
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I enjoyed reading your last devotional. Inspiring I must say. I was just wondering if the roses met yet and what they looked like. I was uprooted about a year and a half ago from working in Africa for over nine years to living in Colorado and through your devotional I was reminded about how the splitting of roots was painful, but the blossoms are even more spectacular.
Thanks!
Whoops! My info: Annie, 28 yrs., MS Gulf Coast 🙂
Renee,
Your devotion could not have come at a better time. My husband just left for deployment to Afghanistan, leaving me and my two young daughters at home. Before he left, we spent many hours grieving over him leaving. We are an extremely close family, and the girls are VERY close to Daddy. I know I've struggled with asking God "Why?" and trying to figure out how to deal with the pain of his absence. But God used your devotion to send me peace. I in turn forwarded the devotion to my husband, and as he said,"God's timing is so perfect." So we both wanted to thank you very much for being faithful to write what the Lord puts on your heart. Many blessings- Annie
Renee,
I have been separated from my 11-yr significant other (we were engaged) since he left in February. It has been a really difficult time and I have been struggling with acceptance, bitterness, depression, the whole array of emotions. Please pray for healing for me and that I can see God's plan for me.
Thank you truly,
Michelle
[email protected]
Hi Renee, Your devotional today really touched me. I was the leader for our women's ministries team for two years until we decided to disband this past spring. I just met this week with one of our pastors to talk about what should I do now. But she didn't have any answers for me. I have had a pretty rough year, I had back surgery in Dec. and then pneumonia in the spring, so I have been physically depleted. Then we found out that our youngest daughter,(14 years old) was taking drugs. We feel like we have our daughter on a path to the truth again and I am feeling recovered from my physical problems.
So I guess I am asking for prayer, that I find the direction that God what's me to go. My pastor said that maybe I was in a season of quiet and that I should try to embrace that.
Thank you for sharing your own walk with the Lord, as well as the times that you doubted God's work in our life. It is very encouraging to me.
I begin my day with coffee in hand and your Daily Message. And the change in my life that has occurred over the past few months, is nothing what I expected. I lost my sister in April, then my father past away in July. He was a God fearing man and I am finding it hard to live without him. Then, God revealed a very dark side that my husband has been hiding from me the past two months living in a world of the need to spend his evenings in a strip club.I am trying to find a way that I can prune away the hurt, the anger, the betrayal, the loss of my own self esteem at this point. I am finding I had some hiddent thornes growing among my beautiful life I thought I had. How do I surrender to such betrayal of vows that we took in front of God years ago. Does surrendering mean I am freeing my husband of his guilt and his betrayal. And like the rose bush, God revealed to me through your devotional, that I am freeing myself of those thornes. Even though I have been choked by the weeds that have crept up in my life, I must kneel before Him, prune away the hardness in my heart, and except the change that has occurred in order to blossom in His Glory. I have kept this locked up inside, telling no one, not even my family, and today God brought me your message. HOnestly, I know what needs to be done, and with all my flaws, I realize I may still struggle in this obedience thats required. I need many prayers to help me through this. The one thing I have learned over the years, being a woman, is that I need my sisters in Christ to get through this. thank you for the blessings today.
Thank you for sharing hare hard it is to let go of our will and desires to God. Even though we know it's the right thing to do sometime it really hurts and causes us cush pain. If you could pray for me to be able to release my son to God's perfect plan. Thank-you
Please pray for me and my family as we are struggling financially. It has put alot of strain in our relationship. I struggle everyday of letting God take control of my life and not trying to fix everything myself. I also struggle with fear, I am always so scared of what will happen. I grew up in a dysfunctional home and I think that's why I may have so many fears. So please pray for my family.
Hi Renee! What a great post! Thank you for sharing your journey with us. You have given me a desire to read and journal through John as you did.
God has really been pressing on me lately about surrender, grace, rest, trust, being not doing. I am in the middle of a lot of change and unknowns. I am also in the beginning stages of stepping out in faith in a writing ministry. I have all of the feelings of fear, what ifs, insecurity etc. I really feel like He is calling me to surrender my desire to know the road ahead of me before I take the step; to trust Him at a new level; and to let Him order my steps for me in His way and His timing. I so desperately want to relinquish it all to Him and let it unfold as He would have it.
Thank you again for sharing your journey and your words with us!
Chrystie
Your story today about the rose bush touched me. I am in a time of change and I would love if you prayed for me. I am a graduate student pursuing to become a licensed marriage and family therapist. My passion is to become a christian counselor and teach parenting classes. It is time for me to pursue an internship. I am excited, nervous, and need to rely on God guidance not on my own. Thank you.
Oh my. The devotion you wrote on August 20th for Encouragement for Today was incredible and really spoke to my heart. I am a 23 year old grad student who has felt God leading me away from my career field. I am in the middle of a dietetic internship, which is the culmination of all my years of study. This was what I always wanted. But not anymore. God has changed my desires and my heart, turning my world upside down. He is calling me to leave the internship and is calling me to full time ministry. In what area I'm not sure yet, but I'm feeling a pull towards women's ministry and missions. I have resisted for a year now, but over the last few weeks I have begun to surrender my plans and my old desires. Today is the day I notify my director of my withdrawal from the dietetics program. I am excited but terrified. But your devotional is so encouraging. You wrote "it is so painful when God allows our dreams to be shattered, our hearts to be broken, our relationships to be separated and our fears to be realized…..it wasn't my plan, but if it was for His glory, wasn't that what I wanted?". So encouraging. I know I can trust Him. And I know that when He is turning my life upside down, I can be sure that He is working! Thank you so much for sharing in your devotional.
Teresa
Renee the Lord has used you to encourage me in a mighty way. Many years ago He gave me the verses from Isaiah and told me that they would be my business card. Interestingly I received the same devotional twice this week.. I have asked the Lord to renew my mind and purpose for Him. Thankyou for being a willing participant in that process. May the Lord bless and keep you.
My name is Victoria Iam 49 yrs old and live in Waldoboro, Maine
Hi, Renee,
I read your message about the rose bush from the Encouragement Today email – thank you for sharing. God is trying to do something in my life right now; I am not exactly sure what, but I do know it requires surrender. While I am glad He is at work, it is painful and hard, and I don't know what is ahead, very hard. I want a season of good – not in a health food sense where you mentally know it's good for you but don't particularly like it – but a season that FEELS blessed and good and full. Prayer that I would keep moving forward to whatever it is that HE has for me and that the devil would not confuse would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
your story on roses really touch me. i to have problem with trusting god sometimes. my husband just got back to work after being laid-off. we almost lost everything. but are faith in god brought us threw it.i have this problem with waiting on gods will.i would love to win your book and have you pray for me. thanks for the drawing. tammy 47i live in tucson, az e-mail [email protected]
Please pray for God to give me the strength I need to get through an unwanted divorce. Mike has some very good qualities but can not admit to his faults and resorts to divorce (I am his 4th) as the answer. I am so broken.
God Bless You!!!!!
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Thank you so much for allowing God to use you! This was an on time word for me in the middle of a very trying time that I am still in. You really touched my heart.
Grace and Peace.
Renee,
I am so excited for your family. God seems to be doing a work. I am so thankful that you are willing to share that with us.
As far as your question goes, I am laying down my dreams. I assumed that I would be making my way in a joyful long term career, but recently quit my job because the money was not worth the stress. So, I have been looking for a new job for a month or two.
God has been gracious to my husband and I and continues to provide for us and save us money in unexpected ways! Praises!
Thanks again Renee!
Danielle- 26 yrs old- Albany, NY
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Please pray for me and my husband who is disabled. I am the only one working and have quite a few decisions coming concerning his care, insurance and career decisions. These are all based on finacial issues. I am trying to surrender my fears and worries to God. I work at this everyday to find a way to yield, to honor him and be obedient. The hardest part to surrender to is being patient. My name is Greta and I am 56. I live in Pelzer, SC. Thank you for caring for so many others and sharing yourself and God to others.
Renee, this post so touched my heart. Thank you, sweet friend! I am going through a planting right now!! I know that God is with me and His choices are the best ones.
The picture of the roses is just lovely! When He prunes, it's always for His glory. Thank you for this beautiful reminder!
Hugs,
Susan
Hey Renee,
I look forward to you guys daily devotional EVERY DAY…God definitely has me in a place of uprooted and change. It has been an ongoing process and HE is not done with me yet…It's not always easy, but I can't deny that I'm better than I have ever been. Prov.3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Not always easy, but ALWAYS TRUE!!!
Beth, New Haven, CT [email protected]