Pollen Season

Last month, our kids had some critical words to say about our "dirty car" when driving somewhere. They had noticed that my wife’s white minivan had turned a strange shade of yellow. “Dad! Look at this nasty van! What is all over it?” They weren’t wrong. A thick layer of yellow dust blanketed the windshield, the hood, and the roof. The April pollen was everywhere. It also coated the patio furniture, the trampoline, and even covered the azalea leaves in our front shrub bed. There was no escaping it. And it got me thinking how grateful I was that it is here, even despite my sniffles and swollen sinuses from the noxious powder! Isn’t it amazing that something so irritating—something that makes us sneeze, sniffle, and reach for allergy medicine—is actually a sign of life? That yellow coating, which clogs up our sinuses and turns our vehicles yellow, is part of a much bigger plan. It’s evidence that something new is happening. Trees are budding, plants are blooming, and new life is being prepared. What we’re experiencing is an important step of a process that leads to fruit.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized: so much of our spiritual growth follows the same pattern. It’s often uncomfortable. It can be frustrating. But discomfort isn’t always bad, as it may be a sign that something good is underway. Jesus spoke about this in John 15:2: “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” That verse is both encouraging and challenging. It tells us that if we’re bearing fruit (if we’re living as disciples of Jesus) we should expect to be pruned. Not because we’re doing something wrong, but because God wants to help us grow even more.

And pruning, just like pollen season, isn’t always pleasant. Think about how many times spiritual growth begins with a disruption: a challenge, a failure, or a period that stretches us beyond what feels comfortable. Maybe it’s a personal loss, a tough conversation, or simply a growing awareness that we’ve become spiritually complacent. The process of change often starts with discomfort. But just because something is uncomfortable doesn’t mean it’s bad. The allergy symptoms remind us that life is in motion. Something is blooming. The pollen is everywhere because the trees are doing what they were made to do.

In the same way, God is at work in our lives—even when it feels uncomfortable. He’s shaping us through every trial, every discipline, and every season of "pruning." He’s producing something we often can’t see yet but will be wonderful once ripe. Hebrews 12:11 puts it even more plainly: “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” That “harvest” doesn’t come overnight. Growth takes time. Fruit requires seasons. And often, there’s a lot of pollen before the first blossom.

If you’ve been feeling stretched lately... if your heart’s been heavy, your mind anxious, or your days especially challenging... don’t necessarily assume something is wrong. It might just mean that God is preparing something good in you. Maybe He’s building compassion through a difficult relationship. Maybe He’s deepening your trust through a time of waiting. Maybe He’s trimming away distractions or comforts you’ve been leaning on instead of Him.

Whatever the case, don’t despise the pollen. Don’t resist the pruning. If your life is rooted in Christ, He promises to use even the difficult seasons for your good and His glory.

Later in John 15, Jesus continues: “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me… By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” (John 15:4, 8) So next time you are popping open that bottle of Claritin and shaking an angry fist at that yellow-streaked windshield, remember that a little annoyance in life may just be the beginnings of something wonderful!

-Tim Jordan

#MaysvilleMessenger