Read: Genesis 50:20; Psalm 66:10-12; 1 Peter 1:6-9

"Wow, look at all the flowers!” Kayla stared in awe at the field of flowers. Her family was hiking in Waterton Lakes National Park. To their left was a stunning lake surrounded by mountains and to their right was a forest filled with beautiful pinkish-purple flowers. The trees were all blackened and bare, so the true beauty came from the flowers and the backdrop of mountains.

“These flowers are called fireweed,” Mom said. “They’re called that because they grow after a fire.”

“Is that why all the trees are burnt?” Kayla asked. “Because of a fire?”

“Yes,” Dad replied. “Several years ago there was a huge wildfire here. It burned all the trees and plants. Until the rest of the plants grow back, all that’s here is the fireweed. The roots of fireweed can survive extremely hot temperatures, so it is one of the first plants to sprout up. The fire can even help it grow.”

“It’s so beautiful how these flowers can grow even after the devastation of a fire,” Kayla said. “I think it’s a beautiful example of how God works to bring good things out of bad things,” Mom said thoughtfully. “Sometimes He allows bad things to happen in our lives so He can use them for good.”

“Yeah, the fire must’ve been terrible, but God was nourishing little roots of beauty even then,” Kayla said.

Mom nodded. “That’s so true. Sometimes we can see how God is working in our lives, but often we won’t see it right away. When this wildfire was raging through the park, I’m sure people worried that a lot of the park’s natural beauty would be destroyed. But after the wildfire died down, these wildflowers sprouted up! And the park is still beautiful, even though there’s not as many trees as before. In the same way, God can use our hard times to help us grow in our faith, which is a beautiful thing.”

“That also reminds me of Jesus’s sacrifice,” Dad said. “It must’ve seemed like a terrible thing to Jesus’s disciples for Him to be crucified. But God planned it for good—it was the only way we could be saved from sin and have eternal life with Him.”

Kayla smiled. “I’m so thankful God causes beauty to flourish even after hard times.”

–Elizabeth Cooper

How about you?

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