What If the First Sign of a New Season Is Already Here?
Updated: Aug 25
Three years ago, I created a painting titled What Do You See?, depicting an almond branch swaying in the wind. I painted it for a friend in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, who was going through a challenging season.
The blossoming almond branch represented the arrival of something new—the transition from winter to spring. If you are waiting for a change of season in your own life, today’s reflection is for you.
In 2023, I chose an almond branch as the subject of my friend’s painting. I was inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s Almond Blossom and by the Book of Jeremiah, which I was reading at the time. In its opening chapter, God uses the image of an almond branch to communicate an important message to Jeremiah—and to everyone who would later read his story.
As I researched almond trees, I discovered that they are among the first trees to awaken from their winter dormancy and announce the arrival of spring. Yet they require time before producing a mature harvest.
This became a powerful symbol for me. Some transformations reveal their first signs very early, but their full results may take much longer to appear. A blossom can announce that a new season has begun, even when the harvest is still far away.
The God Who Watches Over His Word
The Book of Jeremiah speaks powerfully to those who have passed through seasons of rejection, disappointment, loss, or breaking. Jeremiah was called to deliver God’s message, yet he was frequently misunderstood, rejected, and mistreated by the very people he was sent to address.
Although Jeremiah can be a challenging book to read, it offers profound guidance for discovering meaning, purpose, and hope during seasons of deep sorrow.
In Hebrew, the word for almond, shaqed, is closely connected to the verb shoqed, meaning to watch, remain awake, or be vigilant. This creates an intentional wordplay in Jeremiah’s vision: "And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 'Jeremiah, what do you see?' And I said, 'I see an almond branch.’ Then the LORD said to me, 'You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it'" - Jeremiah 1:11-12
At the beginning of Jeremiah’s ministry, the almond branch becomes a visual reminder of God’s watchfulness. Even when circumstances appear dormant, God has not forgotten His word. He remains attentive and faithful to accomplish what He has promised.
Inspired by this message, I painted What Do You See?
A Painting for a Difficult Season
I gave the painting to my friend during a season when he felt abandoned by the Lord. He was facing uncertainty in his temporary employment, and our friendship was also somewhat strained at the time.
Despite the challenges we both encountered, those difficulties eventually drew us closer to God. They encouraged us to pray for one another and move beyond the issues of the past.
The almond branch quietly carried a message we were not yet able to see fully: a new season had already begun, even though its fruit had not yet appeared.
When the Blossom Becomes a Harvest
Three years after receiving temporary comfort through the image of the almond branch, my friend recently chose to leave a stable position as an adviser to a government minister. He accepted a role that may appear less secure or prestigious but is far more meaningful and fulfilling to him.
He moved from a season of uncertainty in temporary employment into one in which he had to choose between two excellent opportunities.
His personal life has also changed. He is now in a committed relationship with a wonderful woman and is enjoying life. One of his greatest prayers—that his mother would move from atheism toward faith in Christ—has been answered. Our friendship has also experienced a new beginning.
Much has changed during the past few years. My friend is now beginning to enjoy the fruit of the personal transformation he chose to embrace while passing through serious difficulties.
What first appeared as a delicate blossom has gradually become a harvest.
When Art Becomes a Message
Here is what my friend recently shared about the painting:
Tea’s work represents far more than art alone. In her paintings, one can sense inspiration, a message, and a spiritual depth flowing from what she carries within herself.
The symbolism of the almond branch from Jeremiah is particularly powerful. I received it as a profound message—the almond as a sign of watchfulness and new life, and as a reminder that God watches over His word to fulfil it.
Throughout Christian history, art has been one of the ways through which God has spoken to people and touched human hearts. Magnificent cathedrals, frescoes, icons, and countless works born from faith and inspiration bear witness to this.
At that point, art ceases to be merely aesthetic. It becomes service, message, and testimony. This is precisely what can be felt in Tea’s work: a gift that does not merely attract the eye but reminds a person of something deeper, quieter, and eternal.
What Do You See?
Imagine looking at your life as though it were a painting. What do you notice?
Can you see an almond branch somewhere in your present journey with God—a small but meaningful sign that winter is ending?
Perhaps you have already noticed the first blossom, but you are still waiting for the harvest. Do not mistake waiting for abandonment. The earliest signs of transformation may appear long before their full results become visible.
Perhaps even this reflection is an almond branch for you—a gentle reminder that a new season may have already begun.
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