Fall has always been a favorite season of mine. I love the colors, cozy sweaters, invigorating hikes and crunching of leaves beneath my feet.
Joe and I set out on our fall sight-seeing adventure. Looking forward to the beautiful and invigorating fall colors, we headed to Barn Bluff in Redwing, a town in southern Minnesota along the Mississippi River.
With great anticipation, we began our ascent up the bluff. We chose the level pathway of the southern trail that merges with the midland trail, leading us to the summit. While walking, I began to lament the reality of summer coming to an end. I love fall, but all I could think about was the warm, sunny days of summer coming to end. The truth was—summer had already ended.
Dreading the cool days ahead, I witnessed the leaves that had fallen as we progressed upward. A section of the path became engulfed by rocks and trees, stifling the air. Joe broke out in a sweat, reminding me that summer wasn’t that far behind us. Looking ahead at the back of his shirt, I noticed that the sweat had made the design of a heart. Pausing to laugh (and take a picture of course,) I sensed God reminding me that His love is in every season!
PURPOSE IN CHANGE
Every year Joe and I have the same discussion about what makes the leaves change color. Joe began his recitation about chlorophyll and sunshine being the key ingredients of photosynthesis. I remembered that chlorophyll is what gives leaves their green color, but couldn’t quite recall the complete process so I googled it on my phone. As I read, the part I never seem to remember became as vivid as the colors around me.
With the decrease of warm weather and sunshine, the production of chlorophyll slows down. Eventually, it stops altogether. The absence of chlorophyll unmasks the other pigments in the leaves (which have always been there). Thus, the unseen beauty of their colors is revealed.
I was quick to see the analogy. We often mask the beautiful colors inside of us by our default human nature. But God in His mercy allows seasons of barrenness into our lives to unwrap our masks to reveal what’s inside. Unlike the leaves, we have a choice to allow the distinctive and vibrant colors to be seen or not.
Just as in the life of a tree—is our inner life. Scripture tells us that “Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25). Seasons are an important part of growth and if we hang on to the comfort of our present season, refusing to embrace the change of our next season, we hinder our growth. Even when our present season is one of loss or sorrow, we can become quite comfortable and cling to the old familiarity. However, the only way to discover the spiritual power of new life is to lay down the old.
It’s God’s design for death to bring new life. Jesus paints a clear picture of this in the gospel of John: “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (John 12:24). When leaves fall from trees a lot more is happening than simply the end or beginning— (depending of course on your perspective,) of a season.
There is purpose. That purpose is to help the tree survive the cold, dry air of winter. The places where leaves have been attached seal when the leaves fall, preventing fluids from flowing in and out of the leaves. This preserves the life of the tree. Not only is the tree protected, but as the leaves fall to the ground and decompose, they feed the soil with the nutrients that are vital for the forest ecosystem. This provides the needed soil conditions not only for the tree but the entire forest. Soon we observe and experience the beauty of new life in the spring.
DISCOVERING PURPOSE, EMBRACING BEAUTY
God wants to bring both purpose and beauty through the losses in our lives. Fall and winter always precede springtime and harvest with purpose. Once we embrace the purpose—we can embrace the beauty as well, and truly live. Ecclesiastes so clearly tells us: “There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart, yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 11).
Please don’t despise the season you are in. It has great purpose. You may not see it now but fall and winter do not last forever and neither do seasons of loss and sorrow. As you discover the purpose of your season you will soon be able to embrace the beauty as well.
(On top of Barn Bluff overlooking where the Mississippi River and Lake Pepin merge.)
Remember that you are eternally loved. There was no beginning and there will be no end to God’s love for you!
Leave A Comment