What can the Christian do when all around him or her there is nothing but bitterness and unpleasantness? Is there not for the believer a source of strength to sweeten our seasonal woes? Of course there is! We find our complete remedy in Jesus Christ.

There certainly is “a time for every purpose under heaven”,  and although the providence of God may “lead” us to those educational “waters of Marah”, He doesn’t intend that we drown in them. When Moses cried to the Lord about the situation of Israel in the wilderness with no water except that which was too bitter to drink, God showed him a tree which, when cast into the waters, made them sweet. That tree symbolizes Calvary.

Jesus, who hung on Calvary’s tree, was made a curse for us. It was there that He was made sin for us. On that tree He took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses. For the purpose of redemption, “Jesus was made a little lower than the angels, (and) because of the suffering of death (was) crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.” With all of this in mind, plus the assurance of the Lord’s presence in our personal times of testing by the bitter waters of life, the words of the psalmist come alive: “My meditation of Him shall be sweet.”

We can’t change providence, but we can change our perspective.

The earnest counsel of a friend is as sweet (or pleasant) as the fragrance of incense or perfume, and Jesus is the Friend “who sticks closer than a brother.” But you see, each of us is plagued with tunnel vision. We get locked into the here and now. We must command our souls to quiet down and do the one thing that is truly needful when times get tough, and that is sit at the feet of Jesus. God’s word has a way of sweetening bitterness.

Won’t you take that bitter situation that you’ve been dealing with to Calvary today? Perhaps it’s an unsaved spouse, a rotten job, maybe a troublesome child. Maybe you’re an older saint with no retirement, or a single or divorced saint who is lonely and longing for a spouse. Could your “Marah” be physical? Financial? Are you lacking direction?

Put the sweet tree of Calvary into your situation. Because of that tree, God can pardon our transgressions, show us mercy, and have compassion on us. So let Jesus minister to you. He loves you, and you can cast “all your care upon Him for He cares for you.”