Psalm 27:14 Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

The Bradford Pear Tree is a beautiful fast-growing tree, but it is very weak. It can grow up to up to 15 feet in a little as 5 years.  The average tree only grows about 8-9 feet in 5 years. The tree itself provides shade very quickly but its average lifespan is only 20 years. Most trees live a minimum of 50 years but many live much much longer.

So why I am giving you a horticulture lesson about trees? Because I recently had to cut one down in my backyard that fell apart during a thunderstorm.  Three years ago, I had to cut down another Bradford Pear Tree from my front yard that did the same thing. This got me thinking, why is this happening? Why do these trees keep doing this? I was told that many builders will plant Bradford Pear Trees because they grow so fast and provide shade quickly for the home buyer. But when these trees come down, they could fall on the home and cause significant damage and the cost to remove them is not cheap either. So obviously, faster does not always mean better. Waiting a few more years for a different tree to grow taller and stronger would have been better.

Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Waiting for God is not easy. Sometimes we many think that he has forgotten about us or does not care. But God often uses the waiting to strengthen us. Just like a tree that takes longer to grow grows stronger, our faith grows stronger when we wait on the Lord.

Habakkuk 2:3 (NLT) says, “If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take time. It will not be delayed.” God has a plan and He will work it out in His perfect timing. Trust God even when you do not understand the waiting. Believe me, God’s plan is worth waiting for.

Lord, please give me patience to wait on your perfect plan. You know what is best I trust in you. Amen.