Bare But Not Barren

B is the letter for today. While out listening to the birds chirp as I waited for my Bella to take her potty break, the phrase bare but not barren blew into my mind one winter morning. As I looked intently on the beautiful bird perched in the tree, the unadorned branches of the tree caught my attention. It was still winter so the tree’s nakedness was not unusual; it actually had a natural beauty to it. The tree was bare but not necessarily barren. To the outward eye bare and barren can look the same. However, bare is to be empty but barren is to lack the ability to produce. Just like the tree was bare (empty of leaves), there are places in my life that are currently bare. The tree’s bareness was simply due to the season the tree was in. It didn’t signify the tree’s eternal state. Beneath the surface, the tree was connected to some life-nurturing sustenance yet it had no outer appearance of growth. As you know seasons change and now that same tree is now budding.


When I actually took the time to look up the definition of the two words it was in alignment with what the spirit revealed. BARE= lacking a natural, usual or appropriate covering; open to view; unfurnished or scantily supplied; devoid of amplification or adornment. BARREN= not reproducing; incapable of producing offspring; habitually failing to fruit ; not productive; lacking interest or charm. Depending on the length of time or the severity of your bareness, some people would have you inclined to believe that particular place in your life is actually barren - it lacks the ability to produce fruitful relationships, ideas, or ministry. Therefore be careful who you connect with during your “bare” seasons; otherwise you might find yourself disconnected from the Source (the innate power within you to reproduce). Bare is momentary while barren can be for a lifetime. Thank you Lord that every bare place in my life will produce fruit in its proper season.

Photo by: plentyofants