Today in our regular morning prayer meeting at church, we were concerned about the pressures we have there in the newly started   mission area.  Hence I told my friends who gathered for the prayer, that we are ready to face any oppositions, but if it affects the growth, we should opt to pray for a deliverance rather to go through a suffering.  After returning home I was trying to share my hearts pains with Jesus, Holy Spirit immediately took my thoughts to my old Botany lessons.  God spoke me this kind of sufferings will not affect the growth.  But it will help to get new 'GROWTH RINGS' , it's    a part of nature's strengthening process, beautification art,   it hides the history of ages, Yah... My sufferings give me my fresh growth rings.     Before continuing let me explain you what is 'Growth Rings' for those who are not familiar with this word.   In trees which live in seasonal climates the growth rate or new cell formation will change according to the season. During the winter and summer the cell walls are thickened and inactive the growth will be low at this season.  The wood formed at this time will be harder and darker.   When the warmer days of spring arrives or the wet season arrives they become reactivated and the cell walls become thinner and it starts to divide actively again.  This is called spring woods and the earlier one is summer wood.   These woods in different season are different in color and make it possible to discern concentric circles in a cross-section through the wood of a tree trunk or branch.  These rings are known as growth rings.  It remains unchanged after they have formed.  The age of a tree may be determined by counting the number of annual rings, the hard summer wood is really strengthening the tree and it gives beautiful natural design while we are making furniture.  If unfavorable seasons are not coming the tree will grow continuously and do not have any growth rings, therefore the tree will grow without any beauty hidden inside and will have week hardwood.     I was talking about the hard seasons coming in the way of our ministry.  So God told me the hard times are the good times, when summer rings form in our life, which strengthen our stem, give new designs and beauty in our life.   So dear friend bad times are God's strengthening process, beautification art, which carve the trails of history, a new growth ring in your life.   So if something is coming against your life or ministry, no need of worry it will give you a new growth ring.  Be happy you are growing properly.                                                                                        By Pastor Finny Chalumkal