I’ve Been Thinking.

I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting lately. And apparently not much writing. (Actually, I’ve been doing a ton of writing, just not for this blog.)

I’m sure most of you heard the saying, “Don’t miss the forest for the trees.” It’s a metaphor with the “trees” representing the minor details in life, while the “forest” represents the larger issues or the big picture. In other words, we can become so caught up in the minor details that we miss the big picture or overlook the significant things happening around us.

While that can certainly be true, I’ve been thinking of it in a different way. What if we turned the phrase around?

“Don’t miss the Trees for the Forest!”

Let me explain. Sometimes I get so caught up in the noise and distractions of life that I fail to see the small yet beautiful things that God is doing. I let the “forest,” so to speak, distract me from seeing God work in those small yet very significant ways. 

Allow me to share an example.

Part of my recent reflection has been on my college experience. I had the great opportunity to play baseball at Cumberland University. My older brother Jeff had played at Cumberland in the early 80’s, so I knew the program and the coach well. The first thing I noticed when I stepped onto the baseball field at CU was that I was no longer in high school. What I mean by that is, I was no longer one of the better players. Everybody was good! I didn’t have the career at CU that I had hoped for. I was never an everyday starter, which was new to me. And honestly, I didn’t handle that well. I played very little during my first three years. This was a humbling and, honestly, somewhat embarrassing experience for me. My senior year, I decided to accept my role on the team and make the most of every opportunity. I played more that year than the previous three years combined. However, I was still frustrated that I didn’t play as much as I wanted to, or even as much as I thought I should.

As of this writing, the last time that I put on a CU uniform was over 30 years ago (and pushing 40!). This length of time has afforded me a gain a new perspective as I reflect on my time in college. Cumberland University is a small school, but it has a big reputation. Especially when it comes to baseball. We won our conference every year I was there (and several years before and after). We went to the World Series my senior year and finished third in the nation. The coach that I played for, Woody Hunt, is a legend. When Coach Hunt retired in 2021 (after 43 years at CU), he had over 1600 wins, countless conference championships, and 3 National Titles. Coach Hunt is in just about every baseball and/or coaching hall of fame there is. And while I was playing there, I never even noticed.  

I missed the Trees because of the Forest! 

I was so consumed with my lack of playing time that I failed to see that I was a part of something special. During the 4 years I was at CU, our record was 173 - 69. (173 wins and only 69 losses). I didn’t notice because I was too busy looking at the Forest. The Forestalso kept me from realizing or appreciating all that God was doing in my life. Because of CU, I was able to obtain a college education. I went on to earn 2 additional advanced degrees. And, if the Lord wills, I will graduate with a doctor’s degree in Biblical Counseling in May 2026. Now, I strongly believe God is sovereign, but I also believe that none of this would have been possible without Cumberland University. Because of CU, I have lifelong friends who could never be replaced. And, because of CU, I met my wife of almost 33 years. I had lots of Trees!

Don’t get me wrong, I still would have loved to have played more. And at times, I still think I should have. But that ultimately wasn’t the reason I was there. I thought I went to CU to play baseball. But baseball was just the tool God used to get me there. He had bigger plans in store. The problem was that I was so distracted by the Forest that I missed the Trees.

This reminds me of a story about the Prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 19. Like Elijah, I tend to be so captivated by the big things that pass me by that I miss God in the seemingly insignificant things. Elijah was looking for God to come in the big things, but the Bible tells us that God was not in the wind. He was not in the earthquake. He wasn’t even in the fire. No, God was in the gentle whisper. (1 Kings 19:11-12).

What seemingly insignificant things have you missed because you are so consumed with the big things? Remember, God doesn’t always come in the big and loud ways we desire. Sometimes, He comes in the whisper.

Don’t miss the Trees because of the Forest!