The Healing Tree

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8 

When the thing you dreamed of falls through, that’s bitter water. When a family member disappoints you, that’s bitter water. When the prayer for breakthrough is prayed over and over, and the answer doesn’t come, that’s bitter water.  Broken promises and betrayal in a marriage are bitter water. It’s shocking how quickly we can go from rejoicing to bitterness. When the children of Israel cried out to God, He showed them a tree.

How did they miss the tree? They did not see it because their bitterness so blinded them. When they tasted the bitter water, they never even saw the tree that was there. It’s hard to see the tree in the woods. Sometimes, it’s hard to see what God is doing when you enter into bitterness. All you can do is look at your puddle of disappointment.

But there is a tree that God had planted by the bitter pool. And they didn’t even notice it. And God opened their eyes and opened the eyes of their leader and showed Moses the only tree in the desert. When he saw it, God said, take that tree and put it in the water, and the bitter water will become sweet.  

Somewhere in the past, God had allowed a seed to fall into the floor of that desert through a crack. And somehow, He allowed just enough moisture to keep that seed alive month after month, year after year. He grew that tree because He knew one day there would be a bunch of bitter people who were going to go through something, and only the tree would be able to turn their bitterness into sweetness.

The tree was already planted before they drank one sip of bitter water. Before they needed it, it was already there. Before you got the doctor’s diagnosis, the tree of healing was already planted. Before that child got on drugs or got mixed up with the wrong people, the tool of their deliverance was already planted. Before the enemy ever attacked, there was a tree that had already been planted.

The date of your deliverance has already been decreed. God has already planted the right people in the right place at the right time so that you can do what He’s called you to do.  God is already speaking to people that you don’t even know about. And while you’re freaking out and getting mad and bitter at God, the tree is already planted.

Right now, there’s money that’s already being lined up for the very need you’re bitter about. If you’ve tasted bitter water, God is saying, look around. Years ago, God knew you would be where you are and already planted the tree. He was putting it together. He was getting the pieces in place.

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