Letting the Dead Things Go...

"The fall leaves are about to show us how beautiful it is to let the dead things go." - unknown

Fall is one of the most beautiful times of the year. The trees begin to look like a mosaic of beautiful colors; we put our flip flops away and break out our boots, sweaters and scarves; pumpkin lattes become our go-to; oh and who isn't comforted from being snuggled up on the couch on a rainy, cool day, watching your favorite football team, snacking on some of mom's recipe chili? Mmm... I really love fall.

Unfortunately, for some though, fall brings on the beginning of Seasonal depression (SAD). From their perspective, it's not exciting. The green leaves are turning brown, the flowers are dying, and the warmth of the sun is now cold. We are trading in fascinating, warm thunderstorms for cold, gloomy days. I get it, I really do but if you really look at the change, you will see something hidden that is actually quite beautiful.

People don't like change. It's different, unfamiliar, unpredictable, and honestly, it usually requires something from them that makes them uncomfortable. However, in order to grow, there has to be a change. You could look at the trees in the fall and think "the leaves are dying". Or, on the flip side, you could see it as "the trees are shedding it's leaves to grow back more of an abundance next time". It's all about perspective. Actually, the process the trees go through every fall reminds me of a verse in the bible.

"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 even more fruitful." - John 15:2 NIV

We often look at the here and now to define how we see things as a whole picture. (Read that sentence again one more time.)When in reality, the here and now (even when things die) are only an indication of what's to come. Cutting things off doesn't always feel great at the time but actually cutting things off in our life or letting things go, can actually prune our lives to be able to produce more "fruit".

What "fruit" are you currently producing? What "fruit" would you like to produce in your life? Anytime we have a lack of fruit, there has to be something we have to change in order to produce it. If you want a healthy body (fruit), you have to cut unhealthy foods out (dead branch). If you want to be a more relaxed person (fruit), you need to spend more time meditating or praying instead of watching Netflix (dead branch). To become a happier person (fruit), you may need to cut off some toxic relationships (dead branch).

Maybe like the trees in the fall though, we didn't ask for change. We didn't ask for our husband to leave us, our boss to let us go, to be diagnosed with cancer, our father to pass away, or our child to make a bad decision that will affect the rest of their life. Unfortunately, situations happen in our lives that absolutely make us feel like crap but I can assure you, it will always accompany an inner change. We may be resistant to it but eventually, it will come.

God knew we would all experience hardships while we spent time on this earth and we have to know that there will be seasons that will change us, whether we like it or not. It won't last forever. It may last longer than desired but seasons are merely just that, seasons.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace." - Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 NIV

Like I said before, there are seasons that, unfortunately, we will be forced to go through. There is no way around it. Also, it's not if but when the seasons change and it's important to know that each season brings a different time of growth and inner change.

Are you going through a hard time right now? Are you lost, confused, lonely, disappointed, defeated, sad, angry...? As a future therapist and life coach, I feel the need to tell you, yes, feel those things and work through those emotions but don't just focus on the here and now. Focus on the incredible, exciting change that is about to come!

I recently have had to let a dead branch go in my life. It was so difficult and I fought it for a long, long while but eventually, I had to get to the place where I allowed my leaves to turn their colors and fall off the tree. I could have focused on how I felt so bare without those leaves, OR I could look at it as God's making space for new leaves to grow! For better "fruit" to grow. And you know what, the leaves on the tree grow better because of what is INSIDE the tree. If the tree is dead, there are no leaves to grow. So while I'm waiting for my next set of leaves, I am focusing on nourishing my roots.

Is God currently pruning your branches? Or are you a person that needs to surrender your branches to God and allow Him to prune you? Listen, things either happen to us or we are the ones that force the change. Ultimately, we have to get to a place where we don't fear change but instead, embrace it! Nourish your inner roots, surrender your "leaves" to the universe, and watch God change you from the inside out. (literally!)

#Fall #Change #Surrender #Leaves #Trees #Jesus #Growth

Want to chat about how I can help you grow in this area? Contact me!