While another year ticks closer to the end, many people find themselves feeling frustration and disappointment. They had big plans when the year started: a long list of things they wanted to accomplish before another year passed by. Now they feel like failures. Some will even rush to do those things in the weeks that remain, but will be so focused on completing them that they won’t receive the enjoyment and satisfaction they expected.
In the thirteenth chapter of Luke, Jesus shares the parable of the barren fig tree. If it’s been a while since you read it, the story is about a vineyard worker who continues to tend a tree that hasn’t borne fruit for three years. The tree’s owner demands the worker stop wasting precious soil by cutting the tree down. The worker asks the owner to let him care for it for one more year, and if it still doesn’t bear fruit, he’ll cut it down then. What Jesus was explaining is that God is patient with His children, but that patience isn’t endless.
Why mention that parable as we approach the end of the year? It’s a good reminder not to give up when you don’t get the results you hoped for. Cutting the tree down would have been easier for the vineyard worker, but he was willing to devote the care and effort to help the tree become what it was intended to be. He wasn’t ready to give up on the tree, just as God isn’t about to give up on us.
We shouldn’t give up on ourselves, either. Growth isn’t automatic. It takes more time than we’d like, plenty of work, and a lot of nurturing to become the person we want to be. We also need to remember to extend the same effort to our families, friends, and communities.
Like the vineyard worker, we know that achieving the growth we want to see demands investing extra effort into what matters most. We also have to trust that growth will come. When we become frustrated and demanding, like the tree’s owner, we risk losing out on seeing the results we crave.
Waiting for changes in our lives and ourselves can be frustrating and make it seem like we’re just wasting our time. But when you stop and think about it, the wait is frustrating because you know the goal is still ahead of you. You can’t see it yet, but you’re convinced it’s out there to help you bloom at the right moment. In other words, there’s hope to be found in waiting. It strengthens our desire for what’s ahead and makes it more satisfying and fulfilling when it arrives.
You may find thinking about things overwhelming, and hope may seem to be desperately out of reach. That’s when a good first step is spending some time talking with a professional counselor. The right counselor will help you understand what you’re feeling, why you feel that way, and how to feel better, You see, starting therapy isn’t a sign of illness. It’s strong and effective self-care. Why not make your first appointment today? The sooner you do, the sooner you’ll find hope.