Become Like an Oak Tree - The Crosswalk Devotional - October 8

Audio By Carbonatix

Become Like an Oak Tree
By: Whitney Hopler

Bible Reading:
 “… to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.” – Isaiah 61:2-3, NIV 

Walking across the Antietam National Battlefield in Maryland one day, I was struck by how beautiful the place was. The ugly reality was that it was the site of the bloodiest battle of the Civil War, on September 17, 1862. Yet despite the fact that more than 22,000 men died there, the rolling hills and fields of bright green grass dotted with wildflowers made it look like I was just strolling through a gorgeous park. Beauty surrounded me everywhere. But the old trees – some of which were old enough to have witnessed the Civil War – were especially beautiful. Some of those old trees were oak trees, with branches stretching out wide and another year’s worth of new leaves growing from those strong and graceful branches. 

In Isaiah 61:2-3, God promises his people that he will bring beauty out of their painful grief, and that they will become “oaks of righteousness” – strong and beautiful people who display the power of God’s work in their lives. 

What kinds of grief are you going through in your life? Maybe you’re grieving the death of someone you loved. Maybe you’re carrying the weight of another important loss, like a job layoff, an illness, or a broken relationship. Life can feel like a battlefield, where hope can seem hard to find as you’re struggling with suffering. But God promises to comfort you. God will take the ashes of your pain and transform them into something beautiful. Where the pain of grief has touched your life, God will pour out the oil of joy. Where there was despair, God will clothe you in praise.

God doesn’t forget your pain, just like God doesn’t forget the painful history that happened at Antietam. But God will seeds of hope in the soil of your suffering, and over time, he will grow them into something as strong as an oak tree.

The process of becoming an “oak of righteousness” involves trusting God’s timing and staying persistent in prayer while you wait for God’s answers to arrive. Oak trees grow slowly. Their roots reach deep into the earth, anchoring them against harsh conditions like strong winds. Likewise, God wants to establish a deep faith in you so you won’t be uprooted when you face challenges.

This growth won’t be easy. There will be seasons of drought when you feel spiritually dry, and storms that test your faith. But challenges like these are opportunities for you to learn to trust God more deeply. As you lean into your relationship with God, he will strengthen you, expand your spiritual roots, and prepare you for what he knows you’ll face in the future. Over time, you’ll find that the situations that once upset you no longer have the same power to do so. That’s because you’ll be grounded in a close relationship with God, who has unlimited strength.

Just as oak trees give those around them the refuge of shade, your testimony of faith in action will give other people hope. The wonderful ways God has worked to transform you will show everyone who knows you a display of God’s splendor, just as the Bible says in Isaiah 61:2-3. No matter how much pain you suffered in the past, God will bring something beautiful out of it, while healing you and making you stronger in the process. 

So, if you’re grieving right now, remember that God isn’t finished with your story yet. The ashes in your life won’t last forever. God will bring beauty out of your ashes and help you grow to become strong like an oak tree – deeply rooted in God’s righteousness and showing others the power of God’s work in your life.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

As you consider how God will grow your faith when you go through grief, reflect on these questions:

• What specific “ashes” that you’re grieving right now would you like to ask God to transform into something beautiful? 
• Oak trees grow slowly and are anchored by deep roots. What spiritual practices (like prayer and meditation) help you deepen your roots in faith, especially when you feel spiritually dry or threatened by storms? 
• In what ways have you seen God bring new life out of a difficult past situation without ignoring the reality of the pain that was there? 
• How does the idea of becoming an “oak of righteousness” change your perspective on the challenges and waiting periods in your life? Do you see them more as opportunities for growth? 
• How can your story of God’s faithfulness give hope to someone else who’s grieving right now?

Further Reading:
Jeremiah 17:7-8
Matthew 5:4
Romans 5:3-4
Ephesians 3:17-19
Psalm 34:18

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/bruev 

Whitney Hopler helps people discover God's wonder and experience awe. She is the author of several books, including the nonfiction books Wake Up to Wonder and Wonder Through the Year: A Daily Devotional for Every Year, and the young adult novel Dream Factory. Whitney has served as an editor at leading media organizations, including Crosswalk.com, The Salvation Army USA’s national publications, and Dotdash.com (where she produced a popular channel on angels and miracles). She currently leads the communications work at George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being. Connect with Whitney on her website at www.whitneyhopler.com and on her Facebook author page.

Check out fantastic resources on Faith, Family, and Fun at Crosswalk.com! 

Related Resource: Relapse, Trauma, and the Power of Community

Caroline Beidler still vividly remembers cracking open her first beer under a big oak tree. She was 11. In this episode of Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic, host Jon Seidl sits down with Beidler—managing editor of recovery.com, author, and addiction recovery advocate—to explore her powerful story of childhood trauma, early addiction, spiritual awakening, relapse, and ultimate restoration through faith and community. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, share this podcast or follow Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!