Seasons

God’s creation delights me. I am thankful for all five senses, but sight is the one I would have the hardest time losing.

My kids grew up hearing me exclaim, “Oh, wow! Look at that sunset! Look at those clouds…kids, are you appreciating the clouds?” (I’m proud to say they are now appreciators, in their own rights.)

Last fall, I was particularly aware of beauty every day as the leaves turned. Each tree was more beautiful than the last – and just when I decided the yellow ones were my favorite, I’d spy a green one with orange tips…you get the idea. I kept thinking, “Wow, God, this must be the best day of the season – it will go downhill from here!” Then, the next day would be even more spectacular. It was almost too much. When the leaves started dropping, I was sure the season of beauty was waning.

But then I saw trees with bare branches standing in puddles of fallen leaves and God revealed something to me.

When things are going well for us and life is easy, we are like Summer Trees – full, healthy, robust. Our full mounds of leaves offer protection, decoration and a good bit of “glory.” It is easy to hide what we are really made of, down deep. Observers might have difficulty discerning our true nature.

In seasons of strife, sadness or hardship, our leaves are stripped away and our branches are laid bare. That is when our character – who we really “are” – what we are really made of – is on display.

I want to live in such a way as to have beautiful, strong, limber branches. When the effects of this world wreak havoc on me and tear at my leaves, I want what is “underneath” to be something that points people in the direction of God. Like so many facets of my life, I know the answer to this desire lies in relying solely on Christ. He is the way for me to strengthen the spiritual bones of my “tree.”

Whichever season you are in today, I pray that you are being encouraged and strengthened by His love.

 

But he said to me,
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses,
so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses,
in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10

 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them.
They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes.
There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain,
for the old order of things has passed away.”
He who was seated on the throne said,
“I am making everything new!”
Revelation 21:3-5

 All this pain
I wonder if I’ll ever find my way
I wonder if my life could really change at all
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found
Could a garden come up from this ground at all
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us
All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You
You make me new, You are making me new
You make me new, You are making me new
“Beautiful Things,” by Michael and Lisa Gungor