Dare to Be Deciduous

A tale as old as time itself-change.

That change may be daily like day to night or gradually like the development of a person from infant to child and from child to adult.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under the sun." (NLT)

Many changes in life are beyond our control. We cannot control the weather no matter how hard we try. How about the changes that are in our control? Changes like our spiritual and psychological growth, are those in our control? I believe the answer is yes. Though, the answer usually require divine intervention.

I am confident God does not want his children to remain the same like evergreen trees. We were made for more. Maybe it is to become stronger, more courageous, more compassionate or wiser. I think he intents for us to have a heart like his. The type of heart that loves like Jesus did. Yet, unconditional love needs conditioning to fruit. It is a lifetime journey.

One of my favorite thing about autumn is the vivid colors of the deciduous trees My eyes are amazed at the range of color that transform the atmosphere. My heart even jumps at the beautiful of these trees change appearance. It's simply breath-taking.

For me, it never last long enough. Their leaves fall and will be gathered up rakes and bagged by exhausted workers. Then, winter will come exposing their bear branches and reveal their dormant state. Still, I know spring will come again to awake them and they will become fruitful since more. .

Change can be beautiful, but the process can be beastous. Chilly seasons of life have the ability of piercing a person to their core. Many situations demands that we change our colors and submit to the process of change. This is the time to reflect on what was. It is a time for pruning and for releasing what the foliage of the past. It's scary to let go a part of oneself that she have always know and even enjoyed. Though, is essential first step in the growing process.

Like deciduous tree, our growth requires a dormant period where we are to rest. God tells us in the Bible to be still and know that he is God. It is a time to seek the shelter of God's love. To have strong roots in faith and family. Often, this dormant period is a time of personal needs where we cannot give as much or not at all. It is a season to mediate on scriptures that grant strength, hope and wisdom. A dormant season can, also, simply be a time of surviving and hold on to faith where we trust that God has good in store for the future.

Often, it is easy to lose hope that people can change or even that we ourselves can change. But God was working under the surface where our eyes could not see it. It just may be that what was designed to make a person's heart cold and bitter, God is using to give it new life. Often, he will provide shelter to rest until the right time. A time to provide opportunity to fill up the emptiness that was a person give up or lost.

Like deciduous tree, there is a time to awake and let the process take shape. Branch out and seek new opportunities. New paths will be reveals. New doors will open. In this season, the blooms of change will emerge. During this time, it is important to feed on hope, faith and love. It is a time to open the mind and heart and take a chance. To let the flowers of new life within show. Praise God and continue to embrace the fruit of change. Then, others will take notice as the fruit begin to grow.

Once the fruit are mature, it is the time for giving. It is important to remember that the fruits of change have a purpose. They are not only for that person 's benefit. They are for the good of many. Fruits of change are intended to be share with others. To give the gifts that God gave us is to feed this hungry, hurting world.

It is vital to share with others what God meant when he said David was a man after his own heart. A man who was not even close to the perfection of Jesus, yet always use his faith in God's forgiveness and power to lead others. A man who found peace in the fruitful season as well as the bad. I truly believe a walk of flawed faith makes more of an impact with people than any polished sermon ever will.

I challenge you to let change be. I dare you to give God the opportunity to transform you into the person he created you to be and then let him do it again. Dare to show there is more than just speaking the words of scripture. There is feeding on the live they provide. Faith is not following the laws of Moses, it is learning to lead with the strength found in them..

Will you dare to be deciduous?

Please remember, to have mercy on yourself, change is a process and know God understand the journey is long. It takes time to build up the courage and strength to change.