when leaves fall and seasons change
This post took me awhile to formulate. I even took notes and reflected on past journal entries. It is neat to see how God works over time and you don't notice it until you go back and look at all of the details. So I will save you all the back & forths and try to compile my thoughts
One fall October morning at a ladies study, we were asked to pick up one of the leaves that were piled in front of us, that drew us in. So I started for one and jokingly said to another lady, "Oh! I was going to pick that one!?!" I think I threw her off guard and she put it down not knowing my humor...so I picked it up so I didn't look like more of a jerk...anyway, it's funny because I ended up picking up two and this one seemed to reveal more to me than the other one.
At this time in the year, I felt like I was in a lull with God - not in a bad way, but in a "I'm happy doing these things you've laid on my heart and I am enjoying them, but what's next" kind of way. There were no big moments happening at this time in my life, things were pretty even keel...I mean besides the craziness of family life. I felt like I wasn't on the mountain top, and I wasn't at the bottom of a valley - I'm just kind of doing life, happy with God, but not being challenged.
While sitting in conversation with God, I asked, "Ok, so what does this leaf have to tell me now? what is this leaf going to show me about you today?"
As I was looking at the leaf I noticed the gorgeous colors, but I also noticed the spots. I see this leaf and think it is beautiful in its vibrant color, even though there are these spots.
Weird thought because I've heard, "and he wipes away your transgressions and your sins."
I just couldn't get over the color of this leaf though and thought "I need to look into what these spots mean?!?!" So I continued in prayer... and verse after verse popped into my head and reflection...
"Surely your goodness and mercy will pursue me all the days of my life." Psalm 23:6
"He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be more fruitful." John 15:2
"May I always delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along a riverbed, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do." Psalms 1:2-3
"Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord." Psalms 27:14
"God is my strong fortress, and he makes my way perfect. He makes me as sure footed as a deer enabling me to stand on mountain heights. He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow. You have given me your shield of victory; your help has made me great. YOU HAVE MADE A WIDE PATH FOR MY FEET TO KEEP THEM FROM SLIPPING." 2Samuel 22:33-37
So...that's a lot...
but each of them tie into the leaf
and before I move further I want to say...I RESEARCHED about leaves and trees and what I found was amazing!
So, the leaves actually have the "fall pigment" - the yellow or the orange or the red - all whilst they are green AS WELL AS THE SPOTS! BUUUUUUUT it's the green chlorophyll that fills in the leaf to it's brightest truest color covering all the spots! JESUS is our chlorophyll...he fills us in even though we have those spots - like they were never there. The spots, good or bad, got you to Jesus even though they don't define you, but at your truest purest self - you are filled with Jesus. You are still beautiful with all your spots and vibrant color, but it's the green...the Jesus that makes you fruitful - in all manners of speaking.
So in relation to the scriptures above that were handed to me, this is also what I heard from God that day:
No matter the season - no matter how high on the mountain or how low in the valley you are, as long as you are abiding and making time with him, your next season will come and fruit will be found.
If there are no leaves on the tree have faith and trust that a new bud is coming for you. And after being pruned, the bud might look even better than before!
But the He's in the waiting...(btw- love Kristene Dimarco's Take Courage)...He is most definitely in the details of the waiting. Keep track of those details.
Albert Camus said - "Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower" So during, what you think is the end of the season, it's only the beginning of something new - something beautiful. If you let go of it, God can do something new.
God is certainly doing something new in my heart, even after a lull. I'm still waiting and listening for direction. But he provides endurance for the walk. Endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope...and this hope will NOT lead to disappointments (Romans 5:3-4).
And thank goodness for a VERY WIDE PATH that he provides me...so much grace as I wait and listen and figure out what God is seeding in my heart.
Lastly, I want to say, that if you feel somewhat stagnant in your walk or like your walk is not even a walk but a pause, CHANGE something. Change the way you are talking to God and meditating on his word. Write to him, sing to him, take pictures, WHATEVER! BUT create some kind of NEW routine. The more you abide and put him in the daily routine, the more you can see he is in the details and the more that can be revealed.
ALSO - when leaves fall to the ground, they decompose and their nutrients feed generations of plants. Fallen leaves are a piece of survival for forests - so let the leaves fall and the new season come.
One fall October morning at a ladies study, we were asked to pick up one of the leaves that were piled in front of us, that drew us in. So I started for one and jokingly said to another lady, "Oh! I was going to pick that one!?!" I think I threw her off guard and she put it down not knowing my humor...so I picked it up so I didn't look like more of a jerk...anyway, it's funny because I ended up picking up two and this one seemed to reveal more to me than the other one.
At this time in the year, I felt like I was in a lull with God - not in a bad way, but in a "I'm happy doing these things you've laid on my heart and I am enjoying them, but what's next" kind of way. There were no big moments happening at this time in my life, things were pretty even keel...I mean besides the craziness of family life. I felt like I wasn't on the mountain top, and I wasn't at the bottom of a valley - I'm just kind of doing life, happy with God, but not being challenged.
While sitting in conversation with God, I asked, "Ok, so what does this leaf have to tell me now? what is this leaf going to show me about you today?"
As I was looking at the leaf I noticed the gorgeous colors, but I also noticed the spots. I see this leaf and think it is beautiful in its vibrant color, even though there are these spots.
Weird thought because I've heard, "and he wipes away your transgressions and your sins."
I just couldn't get over the color of this leaf though and thought "I need to look into what these spots mean?!?!" So I continued in prayer... and verse after verse popped into my head and reflection...
"Surely your goodness and mercy will pursue me all the days of my life." Psalm 23:6
"He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be more fruitful." John 15:2
"May I always delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along a riverbed, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do." Psalms 1:2-3
"Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord." Psalms 27:14
"God is my strong fortress, and he makes my way perfect. He makes me as sure footed as a deer enabling me to stand on mountain heights. He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow. You have given me your shield of victory; your help has made me great. YOU HAVE MADE A WIDE PATH FOR MY FEET TO KEEP THEM FROM SLIPPING." 2Samuel 22:33-37
So...that's a lot...
but each of them tie into the leaf
and before I move further I want to say...I RESEARCHED about leaves and trees and what I found was amazing!
So, the leaves actually have the "fall pigment" - the yellow or the orange or the red - all whilst they are green AS WELL AS THE SPOTS! BUUUUUUUT it's the green chlorophyll that fills in the leaf to it's brightest truest color covering all the spots! JESUS is our chlorophyll...he fills us in even though we have those spots - like they were never there. The spots, good or bad, got you to Jesus even though they don't define you, but at your truest purest self - you are filled with Jesus. You are still beautiful with all your spots and vibrant color, but it's the green...the Jesus that makes you fruitful - in all manners of speaking.
So in relation to the scriptures above that were handed to me, this is also what I heard from God that day:
No matter the season - no matter how high on the mountain or how low in the valley you are, as long as you are abiding and making time with him, your next season will come and fruit will be found.
If there are no leaves on the tree have faith and trust that a new bud is coming for you. And after being pruned, the bud might look even better than before!
But the He's in the waiting...(btw- love Kristene Dimarco's Take Courage)...He is most definitely in the details of the waiting. Keep track of those details.
Albert Camus said - "Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower" So during, what you think is the end of the season, it's only the beginning of something new - something beautiful. If you let go of it, God can do something new.
God is certainly doing something new in my heart, even after a lull. I'm still waiting and listening for direction. But he provides endurance for the walk. Endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope...and this hope will NOT lead to disappointments (Romans 5:3-4).
And thank goodness for a VERY WIDE PATH that he provides me...so much grace as I wait and listen and figure out what God is seeding in my heart.
Lastly, I want to say, that if you feel somewhat stagnant in your walk or like your walk is not even a walk but a pause, CHANGE something. Change the way you are talking to God and meditating on his word. Write to him, sing to him, take pictures, WHATEVER! BUT create some kind of NEW routine. The more you abide and put him in the daily routine, the more you can see he is in the details and the more that can be revealed.
ALSO - when leaves fall to the ground, they decompose and their nutrients feed generations of plants. Fallen leaves are a piece of survival for forests - so let the leaves fall and the new season come.
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