Shedding Dead Leaves

Dead leaves. All of them. Isn’t it so interesting that the fall brings a colorful array of beautiful leaves that we admire and enjoy. But truthfully, what we are admiring is just the result of things dying. How is that for encouragement?!

Well, before you stop reading, let me encourage you! Did you know that these dead leaves did not fall from dead trees? No, they fell from perfectly healthy, growing trees! Isn’t that strange?

Here’s some faith we can actually see with our eyes. When the season necessitates, the leaves of even healthy trees die. But, the tree itself remains alive! In the dead of winter, the same trees will be completely bare, but guess what? They will still be healthy trees even though they are bare for a season.

That gives hope. That shows grace. That deepens faith. That intensifies the desire to persevere.

Maybe you are a growing, healthy tree that just needs to let go of things that don’t benefit God’s work in you. Maybe you are shedding in a healthy way. If so, consider the trees around you. They gladly let go. They do not question the certainty of springtime.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our sins, made us alive together with Christ.” -Ephesians 2:4-5

Father, we pray that you would be alive in us even when our lives shed old and unnecessary things. Remind us that you are working even in the seasons of shedding. In Jesus name, Amen.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

• Mysti Chustz has been following Jesus since she was six years old.
• She is a wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend. Her most favorite roles are being wife to Philip and mama to Coleman, Mary Lamar, and Clay.
• If one verse was used to describe her life, it would be Philippians 1:6. “Be confident of this, the One who starts the work in you is faithful to complete the work in you.”