As Anne Shirley says, “I’m so glad to live in a world where there are Octobers.” Fall is settling in, temperatures are lowering, and cozy season is getting started.
As a teenager we moved from evergreen tree-laden North Carolina to Indiana, a state where all the seasons are experienced. Sometimes in a single day! Our first autumn, my mom would jubilantly shout, “Look at the TREES!” every time we passed a tree changing color. My brother and I started having a half-hearted “wow” ready every time we got in the car, because we knew her excited pleadings to behold the trees were coming. Our world went from green trees to forests of red, orange, yellow, and gold. The change was startling.
The leaves never look more glorious than when they turn vibrant shades, let go of their branches, and swirl to the ground. But to surrender to the fall requires the leaf to die out to all it has previously known. To let go of its comfort zone. To submit to whichever direction the wind may take it. To tumble chaotically and beautifully and with purpose. Marking a new season.
This dying out is so evident and gorgeous to us onlookers, especially my autumn-loving mom. We see the leaves surrender and have no fear. We know the design of the tree. We know the purpose in the surrender. The tree is entering a new season and will be budding new leaves in a few months. The dying out is to make room for the new growth to come.
We can so easily trust in the process of the autumn leaves, but how easily do we trust the process in our own dying out? How eager are we to let it all go and submit to the design of our Maker? To surrender?
May we witness the beauty of the falling of the leaves and submit to the Wind of the Spirit. He's calling us to let go of what has kept us comfortable and tied down. He's asking us to die out to Him.
Do you hear His gentle calling? Do you feel that fresh wind? Do you want to see what's on the other side of comfortable?
How beautiful it is to surrender. How scary. How worth it.
