My drive home from work. ?
?Did you know…that the beautiful colors we see on the trees in the fall are actually the true color of their leaves? Every leaf has a specific color and shape based on what type of tree it belongs to. We just can’t see these colors all year because of all of that green, gunky, chlorophyll stuff that’s covering it all up! In the fall, thanks to the cooler temps, the leaves start to lose their chlorophyll, revealing their true color. ?
I’m sure there’s some (many) out there that are like “uhh, YEAH; like I knew that, DUH!” But for me and my life I just learned this within the past 5 years, ya’ll! That’s right; sometimes I learn a thing or two from teaching kinders every day.
Well this morning I got to thinking…“What a SHAME it is that all these trees have these beautiful colors that God created and designed for us to see for what, like 3 weeks out of the year?!” It was shortly after this thought that God pricked my spirit and got me to readjust my thinking. God designed this world perfectly. While I’d love to visualize an entire three quarters of the year in fall foliage splendor; I can’t; but it’s for my own good. You see, God works all things out for good. We don’t always get what we want or think is best for us at the time. We (humans) tend to get to thinking that we know everything, see everything, and should control everything. EHH! WRONG. God knows, sees, and can control anything He wills to.
Just like those beautiful leaves. My human side would instantly choose to see their colorful show all year if I could. But is that really what’s best? After all, it’s because of those six to eight months of greenness that produce food for the trees to live and grow, and yada, yada, yada…produce the very AIR we breathe! Okay, okay…I guess that’s a big deal. But then another thought comes to mind…If God is in control and made this world perfectly, then why couldn’t he just make colorful leaves part of the whole food-making chlorophyll deal all year long? I would never state a fact of why God did or didn’t do something, but I can assume based on my faith and my relationship with Him. I am a firm believer that God uses allegory and real-life examples that we can experience to get the lesson across to our busy, weary minds.
Take the four seasons. Each season has its purpose that is vital to the whole existence of earth itself. The spring has new life, the summer has the warmth the soil needs to nourish our crops and such, the fall is a time for not only harvesting all of our hard work, but a time for cleansing and preparation of the closure of our crop. The winter is a time of rest, reflection, and waiting in preparation of the new year and new beginnings.
We too, have seasons in our lives. Maybe one time I was angry with God for “forgetting” about me, or for making me wait too long through a situation. It’s natural for our minds to crave justice for not only ourselves, but others. Well, friends, God doesn’t forget, and everything is perfect in His time. Did I mention that He literally sees EVERYTHING?! Things in people’s hearts, minds, houses, heh-em…the FUTURE, etc. Things we cannot see, EVER. Have you ever felt frustrated or confused by things going on in your life? How or why would God let that happen? That’s not for us to know or expect to know right away, but what we can do is expect God to know; and frankly, that’s all that matters.
Maybe that rough patch in your life is actually the chlorophyll you needed to live. Truly live. Not pretend or try to live the best you can. Yes it’s gunky and covers your beautiful colors, but when the time is right; His time; your true colors will be revealed after all.
Maybe you’ll be able to nourish and help others grow in their lives because of what you’ve walked through and conquered. Let your life be an example; a shining example; of the fruitful existence of God’s almighty power, wisdom, and love.
“Let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” Galatians 6:9
-Corrie