The Dove, the Olive Leaf, and the Journey Back to God

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There is a small moment in the story of Noah that I’ve been thinking about lately. It’s easy to skim past it, but the more I sit with it, the more I see myself in it.

After the flood, Noah sends out a raven. Then he sends out a dove. And eventually, the dove returns with an olive leaf in its beak.
It’s a simple detail—but it holds a deep spiritual truth.

Going Out on Our Own

When Noah first sends out the birds, the earth is still flooded. Everything familiar is gone. The world is quiet, broken, and uncertain.
That feels a lot like life when we try to navigate it on our own.
So often, we “go out” into the world searching for fulfillment—answers, comfort, belonging, relief. We try to make things work in our own strength. Sometimes we even convince ourselves that we’re fine, that we’ve got this.
But we come back empty.
Tired. Unfulfilled. Restless.
Like the bird that finds no place to land, our souls hover over chaos with nowhere to truly rest.

When the Holy Spirit Begins to Work

Then the dove is sent out.
At first, it still can’t find a resting place and returns to the ark. I love this part of the story because it reminds me that encountering God doesn’t instantly make life neat and tidy.
When the Holy Spirit comes upon us, we don’t suddenly stop struggling. We don’t suddenly stop sinning. We don’t suddenly have it all figured out.
What does change is this:
We can no longer settle comfortably in the brokenness.
The things that once felt normal start to feel heavy. The noise becomes louder. The emptiness becomes harder to ignore.
That discomfort is not punishment—it’s grace.
It’s the Spirit gently drawing us back, again and again.
Drawing Nearer to Jesus

Then one day, the dove returns with an olive leaf.
Not a tree. Not a forest. Just a leaf.
But that leaf is everything.
It’s proof that life is growing again. That the waters are receding. That peace with God is being restored.
This is what happens as we draw nearer to Jesus.
We don’t come back with perfection. We don’t come back “fixed.” We come back with evidence of transformation.
A softened heart.
A desire to repent instead of hide.
A hunger for God’s presence.
A small but undeniable peace where chaos once lived.
The olive leaf is the fruit of the Spirit at work—quiet, gentle, growing over time.

The Lesson I’m Learning

God is not in a rush with us.
Noah doesn’t leave the ark the moment the dove returns. He waits for God’s timing. And in the same way, God patiently waits as His Spirit does its work in us.
If you feel like you’ve gone out and come back empty more times than you can count… If you feel the tension of wanting God but still wrestling with old patterns… If all you have to show for your journey right now is a single “olive leaf” of hope…
That is not failure.
That is progress.
That is the Holy Spirit at work.
And that small sign of life is enough to trust that God is not done yet.
Hello, I’m a mom of four as a self-employed business owner, I’ve learned how to juggle many roles, often feeling stretched thin, but my faith has always been a source of strength and guidance. Life hasn’t always been easy—marriage struggles and personal challenges have tested me, but each experience has deepened my faith and understanding of who I am. This blog is a space where I share my heart, my journey, and the lessons I’m learning along the way. I hope my story can offer encouragement and connection to theirs walking their own paths of faith and growth.

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