Sweet Things Come From Hard Places

I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock.

Psalm 81:16

I love this image—honey from the rock. Some of life’s sweetest experiences come from hard places, just like sweet honey can flow from a hard rock. Only God can produce this kind of abundance from barrenness. I know you have some great stories of God’s provision, like rocks oozing with honey. I would love to hear all of them! I will share a few quick examples from my own life.

Sweet Monday. It was a ministry birthed by God out of my loneliness and isolation. Nearly twenty years later, women still come to our home the first Monday night of the month to laugh a lot, learn from other women, and leave with an introduction to Jesus.

My cancer. This physical disease helped me grow bolder as I got balder. I never imagined that it could be a pathway to greater spiritual effectiveness, but that’s what happened.

Fluffy, the kitty, goes missing. Our dear kitty has been part of our family for more than fifteen years. From the time Kali was three until she was five, all she talked about was kitty, kitty, kitty. Fluffy and I ended up having Purr-and-Praise time every morning. He sat in my lap as I read my Bible. Most days Fluffy never veered much from his routine, but one day when he went outside, he did not come home. We were all heartsick. I cried every day because I missed him! We posted “Lost Fluffy” signs and a newspaper ad and unabashedly yelled his name from car windows in hopes that he’d hear us. On the twelfth day, he miraculously appeared in God’s answer to our prayers. He was skinny and dirty, but alive. This recovery mission was not successful because of our puny prayers but because of the power of God.

Sweet things from hard places—honey from the rock. They are surprising life lessons of God’s love for His children. God has a way of awing us with His ways when things seem hopeless. He will go to all extremes for one of His own!

Let’s keep looking for honey from the rocks we encounter! Expect God to bless you with signs of His presence and provision, even when circumstances tempt you to lose hope. How does Joel 2:25 promise similar hope?