When Leaves Fall

I was walking toward my front door the other day, and under my feet were the sounds of leaves as I stepped closer toward my door. I thought, this is the sound of fall. I glanced at the trees and noticed the leaves there, their color, and in that moment, the shift in the feel of the atmosphere. For a moment, I thought to myself, ahh, we’re shifting; a new season is approaching, and then I questioned, what does this mean?

As I continued thinking about the leaves, I considered something else, strangely, how my mind works. These trees aren’t struggling to hold on to the leaves falling; they are just responding to the season.

As a writer and visionary with a very vivid imagination, my mind tends to go places very few travel. And as I continued along this thought process, and as I often do, I am always looking to learn what the message is… yes, even in the sound of the leaves under my feet and falling, the atmosphere changing, and imagining what the tree is thinking as the leaves are falling.

That same tree, where the leaves once provided beauty, shade, and covering during the summer months, had served their purpose for that season. And now, that same tree was shedding those same leaves, and it wasn’t because the tree was dying; it was because it was entering another season of its life. See, the mind… interesting, isn’t it?

Personal story time: The Father allowed me to start a nonprofit some years ago, and I was honored to do so, and we had some good times, and we did some amazing things. When that season changed, I had a hard time letting go; I struggled to release what was once necessary, beneficial, and even beautiful in our community. I wanted to hold on to it because it was familiar, it was His word, and because it served our community well, and I was uncertain about what comes next. Had I continued to hold onto what served in that season, I would have never seen or stepped into what was necessary for this season. This taught me that holding on to what belonged to yesterday prevents us from embracing what Father God has prepared for tomorrow, as Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us: there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven. That means every season has a purpose, including the seasons of letting go.

Now, back to what I love about the trees. Although their leaves fall, their roots remain. Did you catch that? They don’t lose their identity because their appearance changes. Nope, they remain anchored, planted, and preparing for what the next season will bring. Ooh, I know you know that is good!

Here’s the message in this week’s devotional: Our faith, our trust, our relationship with Father God, and the promises He has spoken concerning our lives should remain anchored in Him. As we enter this new month and season, I encourage you to take a moment to examine what you’re holding on to. Is it something Father God is asking you to release? Are you resisting a change because you don’t understand its purpose?

If so, may I gently remind you of my story above and say this: just because something is falling away doesn’t mean your life is falling apart. It could simply be the evidence that a new season is upon you.