By Danny Minton

Once upon a time, in a small village nestled between the mountains and the sea, lived a carpenter named Graham. Graham was known throughout the village for his wisdom and unique approach to trouble. At the edge of his property stood a majestic tree, which he fondly referred to as his Trouble Tree. Every evening, after a long day of work, Graham would stop by the tree before entering his home. He would touch the tree, close his eyes, and take a deep breath.

One day, a young girl named Lilly, curious about Graham’s ritual, asked him,

“Graham, why do you touch the tree every evening before you go inside your house?”

Graham smiled and replied, “This is my Trouble Tree, Lilly. I hang all my troubles on it before I go inside. The tree absorbs my troubles, so I don’t carry them into my home.”
Intrigued, Lilly asked, “But Graham, how does the tree handle all those troubles?”
Graham chuckled, “Ah, that’s the magic of the Trouble Tree. It takes in my troubles and transforms them into strength and wisdom. The tree doesn’t hold onto them. By morning, they’re all gone.”

Inspired by Graham’s wisdom, Lilly decided to create her own version of a Trouble Tree. However, she wanted to add something more. Lilly wanted not only to let go of her troubles but also to remember the good things in her life. She believed she could feed the tree’s roots with her gratitude, which would, in turn, provide the tree with the positive, joyful energy needed to handle the troubles laid upon it.

Every day, Lilly would stop by her Trouble Tree. She would touch a branch to transfer her troubles and then touch the ground beneath the tree to deposit her gratitude into the roots. She would then close her eyes, take a deep breath, and whisper, “Thank you.”

Around the village, word spread about Lilly’s new idea to incorporate gratitude into her Trouble Tree. The other villagers were inspired and began creating their own Trouble Tree. They found that by acknowledging their troubles and releasing them, they felt lighter. By remembering their joys, they felt happier. And by expressing gratitude, they felt more content and fulfilled.

Trouble Tree became a symbol of resilience, positivity, and gratitude in the village. It reminded everyone that troubles are temporary, joys are to be cherished, and gratitude is the key to a contented life. Trouble Tree became a beacon of hope and a testament to the human spirit’s ability to transform trouble into strength, wisdom, and gratitude.

A woman hired a carpenter for repairs on her farmhouse. One day, a flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric saw quit, and then his ancient truck refused to start. The woman drove him home.

He invited her in to meet his family. As they walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands. Inside, he smiled, hugged his two small children, and gave his wife a kiss.

As he walked the client out to her car, she asked him about the tree. “Oh, that’s my trouble tree,” he replied. “I can’t help having troubles on the job, but troubles don’t belong at home. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning, I pick them up again.”

“Funny thing.” He smiled. “When I come out in the morning to pick them up, there aren’t nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before.” (Author Unknown)

Working at the hospital, I see families, patients, and staff trying to deal with the burdens of hurt and pain. A hospital environment can cause many of us to feel extra stress and become burdened with worry. It may be a concern about oneself, a friend, or a family member not doing well. It may concern a patient that nurses or doctors are troubled about how to help best. No matter who or where we are, we are all at times faced with worrisome troubles in our lives. 

Jesus gives us several points on how to handle things with which we are burdened and those times when our hearts are heavy. First, Jesus is like the tree that the carpenter touched before he walked through the door. He tells those who believe in Him, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29 (NIV2011) He’s telling us to hand our burdens over to Him, and He’ll not only help carry them, but if we let Him, will at times carry the whole burden Himself.

The second thought Jesus gives us about drowning in our worries is to quit worrying about things that may happen and focus on what we have today. Take care of what you can do and not trouble yourself with the unknown. He stresses to His followers as they face their troubles, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34 (NIV2011)

Wherever you find yourself, remember that Jesus is there for you. He’s that carpenter’s tree that will keep our worries from us, and then, while we sleep, wipe them away and give us a new, fresher day. All we must do is hand them over to His care.

Danny Minton is a former Elder and minister at Southern Hills Church of Christ