I often ask my patients to name their stress and put it on a scale of 1-10. Their pain or affliction may come from some past hurts from in-laws, or lost of job, or worse, the fear of losing their health due to some trauma. During the recent San Diego firestorm, I had the privileged of meeting a very “gentle and humble” soul. Archie was no stranger to affliction since he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease five years ago. However, he daily practiced the lessons of faith and courage in coping with his afflictions.Archie waited anxiously for the latest news from his son Kyle whose family had evacuated from the San Diego firestorms. He knew this family had safely evacuated their home, but he had no clue whether their home survived the raging fires. On Tuesday afternoon, Kyle called his parents and shared that his home had miraculously survived the firestorm.
The fires destroyed 11 homes across the valley from where Kyle lived. The home just below him was untouched by the flames and his home on the other side of the valley had been miraculously spared. However, there was some sad news to share with Archie. Kyle told his dad that his 150 avocado trees were burned by the fires. Archie had planted this grove over 30 years ago. The potting shed was destroyed and the irrigation system that watered the delicate green fruit was in unknown repair.
Archie shared the story that he used this avocado farm to teach his kids respect and responsibility for the value of work. Many years ago while raising his children, Saturday mornings were not a time for sleeping in but this dad had his kids working the land and caring for those delicate trees.
Archie breathed a sign of relief and offered a prayer of thanks to God that the home of his children and grandchildren’s was spared. The devastation had stopped within 100 yards from the family homestead. But Archie wondered: What was God thinking burning his precious fruit? One must realize and know down deep in their inner selves that good will come from our afflictions- and further God has allowed this affliction to come.
Once a man completely dejected by his afflictions was walking one day in one of the botanical gardens of Oxford. He noticed this really pretty pomegranate tree. It had a stem which was cut almost through! He asked - what has happened? The gardener replied with an answer which explained the wounds of this man's troubled spirit. "This tree used to shoot so strongly that it bore nothing but leaves. I therefore had to cut it in this manner. Now, when it is almost cut through it has begun to bear plenty of fruit."
Fires in southern California are a matter of fact to families living in that wilderness. God asks us to accept our troubled spirits from fires or disease with the grace and power of the Holy Spirit to endure and see how God can use it. This is, indeed, a hard saying! Some of the words of Jesus speak of how God uses hardship to grow our faith. Scripture speaks regarding God saving us out of afflictions; upholding people in affliction; being a refuge for those afflicted by life.
Despite the apparent destruction of those avocado trees, nature can be very resilient. Kyle promised his dad that he would check that irrigation system to see if it could be salvaged. Maybe, the trees themselves would stage a come back. Only time and the saving grace of God would tell the final outcome.
God prayers for us as we reflect: “I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. (Psalm 31:7).
Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends whose lifetime of work appears to have gone up in smoke. Give us faith and courage in times of affliction to persevere in our firestorms and believe that good will come from the bad. May the ashes that cover the soil reach deep into the roots of those avocados to restore their vigor and bring forth the miracle of fresh fruit to revive this dad’s troubled spirit.
