God often teaches life’s most important lessons through symbols and analogies. And when we pause to recognize the deeper messages hidden in His creations, we can find peace—even in the midst of our hardest trials—as we walk our own path toward prosperity and abundance.

One such image came to mind while I was sitting in my car. I didn’t want to forget it, so I quickly pulled out my notebook and jotted it down:

The Little Acorn

A little acorn wanted to become all that its blueprint promised it could be. Though it was meant to become a grand and mighty oak, it felt small and insignificant, merely a simple nut dangling by a stem.

Hanging on the parent tree and reaching high, it longed to see grand views and sweep the vast sky with broad branches. It ached to experience the fluttering of leaves and the swaying of limbs, but alas, all it knew was filtered sunlight and the slight breeze slowed by the shelter of its protecting parent.

Finally, Father Oak heard its cry and said, “Yes, little seed, I have great plans for you. You will scrape the sky and sway in the wind, and the view will be glorious. One day, you’ll provide shelter and food for a multitude of creatures. Your friends will be many, your influence will be vast, and you’ll be great and happy.”

The little acorn’s heart swelled with excitement as it stretched its rigid shell upward to receive its promised reward, but instead of enjoying the exhilaration of greatness, it was shaken from the tree and took a long, hard fall, landing with nothing more than a faint thud. 

It looked around desperately for someone, anyone to notice. Is there no help? No compassion? No understanding? 

“Father Oak? Do you see me?” it cried.

Yet time just seemed to march on for everything else around it. Critters rustled by. Birds sang unaware, high above. And soon the tiny acorn found itself trampled, with dirt and leaves kicked rudely upon it. Eventually, it was completely buried, in the dark, and alone. 

“Have you forgotten me??!” He cried, but still there was no answer, no explanation, no reprieve. 

Then at once, the rain began to pour, and the buried seed believed it just may drown as well.

Throwing its weight one way and then the other, it attempted to force its way out of the mud and puddles to get back to the tree, but to no avail. 

Weary of the struggle, it surrendered to its fate with a melancholy sigh. “I guess this is it,” the little acorn lamented. “I can’t do this any more.” And it stopped fighting.

Immediately, the elements nearby took notice of its calmed demeanor and began to respond with awe and respect, as if something royal had just entered their presence. A leaf molecule cozied up to its shell. A bark particle prepared to be assimilated.

“What’s happening?” the little acorn wondered, as it began to notice a subtle change taking place, even within itself.

In the middle of its newfound calmness, and though it still seemed so dark, the little acorn discovered that it hadn’t perished from being cut off from its parent, as it feared it might. Though the fall was frightening and terrible, it remained, as alive and as well as before.

No, it had not perished. Rather, it had sprouted new parts of itself from within that it didn’t even know it could sprout, and the little seed began to experience the joy that always accompanies growth and soul-expansion. 

Though it hadn’t achieved its ultimate goal, it felt good enough just to grow.

In time, the little acorn could finally see the goal again—though it had never appeared to be so far away.

Yet in truth, it had never been closer.

Be patient little seed, for you, too, were created for greatness. Allow yourself time to develop roots and let them run deep. 

Keep reaching for the Sun. Trust God, and success is inevitable. All you need to accomplish the goal will be yours in the right time. Remember...

Peace, be still.

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