Strong Trees Know When to Bend
I would sometimes watch the trees in our village during storms. It's fascinating, really. The ones that look the strongest – tall, rigid, unbending – are often the ones that snap when strong winds come. But those seemingly fragile palm trees (yep, they have a few here)? They just dance with the wind, bending almost to the ground sometimes, only to stand right back up when the storm passes.
Nature's got a sense of humor, doesn't it? The secret to staying strong isn't about being stiff and unmovable. It's about knowing when to bend. I used to think being strong meant never giving in, standing my ground no matter what. My daily mantra was "resist and persist!" But you know what that got me? A lot of broken branches in my life – fractured relationships, burnout at work, and a perpetually stiff neck (both literally and figuratively).
Here's what those backyard trees have taught me: True strength isn't about fighting every wind that comes your way. Sometimes, the strongest thing you can do is bend. Let that criticism whoosh right past you. Allow that change to move you in a new direction. Accept that some things are beyond your control.
This reminds me of what Jesus said about meekness. We often confuse meekness with weakness, but there's profound strength in being meek. It's not about being a pushover – it's about being secure enough to yield to God's leading. It's choosing to bend with His Spirit rather than standing rigid in our own ways.
The storms will come – that's just life. But like those trees, when we learn to bend with God's leading instead of fighting against it, we don't just survive – we thrive. There's an incredible peace that comes with surrendering to His wind rather than trying to stand against it.
I choose to be like those resilient trees. Strong enough to stand, wise enough to bend.