[ WordBytes of Franciscan Moments ]

Saint Francis of AssisiIn the 1990s, the southeastern states suffered a long drought. Living through it taught me something about my personal spiritual growth.

Swampy Florida, where I live, has been resculptured by developers into lots of retention ponds so that the houses they built and the stores and the roads don’t get sucked into muck. These man-made ponds also make beautiful scenery for backyards and parks and church properties.

During the drought, the water level sank lower and lower and lower. We learned how deep the ponds are, for we saw birds wading in them. If the drought had continued much longer, we would have seen them completely empty. Indeed, some ponds did dry up.

growth under the bridgeWhile this was happening, I noticed something interesting. The grass that surrounded the ponds became brown for lack of nourishment, but the dirt of the pond floor, which was normally under water, sprouted with lush, green vegetation.

When the ponds are full, little grows there, but during a drought’s drain on the ponds, new growth spurts up. So too with our spiritual lives. When we feel dry, when God seems far away, when we endure problems that drain us, our personal droughts produce new growth that never would have occurred otherwise.

Let us praise God for the hard times as well as the good times!
1
Have you learned  to praise God in all circumstances?x

See more Franciscan Moments >>

Find more faith-builders by visiting the Good News Ministries home page>>

© 2000 by Terry A. Modica
Please share this with others by inviting them to visit this page. You may also print this for your personal use and you may share the print-out with others as long as you do not edit the print-out.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

3 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Paul Yaqona
Paul Yaqona
Guest
November 24, 2022 3:20 pm
Let us praise God for the hard times as well as the good times!" Read more »

I certainly am learning to do this in my journey of developing my spiritual life and increasing holy living.

Carol
Carol
Guest
November 27, 2020 6:12 am

This site is so helpful to me especially when struggling with my life of understanding what God expects of me. And also when someone asked me to pray for them. Thank you for always being there