We have a large yard with trees galore, several kinds of various ages. My analytical hubby keeps track–twenty-two tree services have left their cards wedged in our front door looking for business. Twenty-two!

But we love our trees, even that one reclining horizontally after the last hurricane. Every tree God creates is beautiful. Every one.

Even that tree. You know the one–that forbidden fruit tree growing smack dab in the middle of the Garden of Eden? The one right next to the tree of life?

How Dare She…

We can hem and haw and blame and shame. How dare Eve fall into temptation, bite that fruit then share it! With the hubs! How dare Adam bite that fruit then play the blame game. What were they thinking?

What are we thinking?

A beautiful tree gets a bad rap and we curse Eve with every labor pain.
How would our lives be different if that tree was never there?

But you know what? It doesn’t really matter whether that tree was there or not because it’s not about the tree at all. It’s about the choice.

What’s the forbidden tree in the middle of your life, friend? What keeps you from choosing God first and God’s best?

We get busy, we get tired, we get discouraged. We try covering pain with a blanket of temptations stitched with lies. We take that first bite of whatever it is we have no business indulging in. Then we want to blame it on somebody else.

So what’s the difference between that tree and our tree that trips us up?

The difference is this…

God placed that tree in the center of that garden. But because we can know His character, and because we can know Him, we know He did not purposely place it there to trip up that first couple–to set them up for a fall. We know He is good and they took the fall themselves. The most horrific fall of all time sending a broken world tumbling ever since.

God did not miss protecting them–He warned them out of His love for them. He is faithful and He does not miss protecting us out of His love for us, either. But He allows us to choose.

Temptations will come, friend. That tree in the middle of your life? The forbidden one?

I imagine it looks something like this…

But God didn’t put it there because God doesn’t tempt us. He tells us to run from it–He always gives us a way out.

The enemy is the tempter. He will entice and we pay the price. But we don’t have to take the bait and we don’t have to take the bite.

Yet we are a messy people, and at times we get ourselves in so deep we can’t find our way out. The birds eat the trail of crumbs and we find ourselves walking in circles.

But here is the awesome truth…

We don’t have to bow down to that tree. We don’t have to take that first bite–but even if we do there is hope. Even when the sweetest nectar turns bitter, we have a Savior who will drop us a rope.

Jesus didn't come just to hang out, He came to provide a way out. Share on X

We can try removing the tree ourselves. We can sharpen our axes and cut it to the quick. We can hire a tree service. But the remnants still remain. Only God can help us remove it so all that remains is rich soil–where something beautiful can grow in its place…

Choose the tree of life, friend. Embrace the life you were meant to live.

Call the action:

Pray for the Lord to reveal any tree in your life that could be draining the life from you. It’s not always the bad things, it can also be the good things. We’ve heard the saying comparison is the thief of joy, but busyness is a thief, too.

Share this message with a friend who is struggling. We all have a friend who needs hope right now. They need to hear about hope and God is calling you to tell them. Grab this free resource, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith.

May I pray for you?

Father in heaven, I pray my friend reading this prayer will be refreshed in You today. I pray she will walk in her calling as You lead her along the paths of life. I pray she be filled with joy in your presence. Give her wisdom and help her see the divine appointments you have set before her. Brighten the light You shine through her so others may see it and know that You are God. Give her the words to say, eyes to see, and ears to hear what You have for her as she lives out the plans You designed for her life.

In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.” Acts 2:28

Can I give you a gift? My free ebook, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling. You can grab it by clicking this link.

Blessings of Peace, Joy, and Love in Christ,

Doris