“The thorn and the thistle—the difficulties and trials that make his (man’s) life one of toil and care—were appointed for his good as a part of the training needful in God’s plan for his uplifting from the ruin and degradation that sin has wrought. The world, though fallen, is not all sorrow and misery. In nature itself are messages of hope and comfort. There are flowers upon the thistles, and the thorns are covered with roses,” (Steps to Christ 9).
Contextually, the thorn and thistle represent “the difficulties and trials that make his (man’s) life one of toil and care,” (9). But there’s a certain, loving purpose behind the trials of life—the thistles we encounter—they’re intended to accomplish something in us, a change-a needful one. Elsewhere it has been said, “The trials of life are God's workmen, to remove the impurities and roughness from our character. Their hewing, squaring, and chiseling, their burnishing and polishing, is a painful process; it is hard to be pressed down to the grinding wheel. But the stone is brought forth prepared to fill its place in the heavenly temple,” (Mount of Blessing 20). The tender, loving purpose of God is thus clarified and so we perceive by faith, and by faith alone, the blessings in trials, the blessing of trials—the flowers upon the thistles. We understand that though there are thorns they are covered with roses! Look for the roses among the thorns –the blessings behind or in the trials. No trial is without a blessing. They are there, always. Look for the loving purpose of the “Rose of Sharon” in your present trying circumstances. In the second chapter of the Song of Solomon we learn of our Father—the divine Botanist, and His purpose to transform fallen man, a prickly thorn, into a stunning lily—a fair flower resembling Him, “the Lily of the valleys.”
“I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters,” (Song of Solomon 2:1, 2).
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