THE SETTING SUN SHINES THRU NEWLY BARREN TREES,
CASTING SHADOWS ON FRESHLY FALLEN LEAVES.
REMINDING ME THAT:
JUST AS GOD TELLS THE LEAVES WHEN IT IS TIME TO LET GO,
THEY GIVE UP THEIR BEAUTY, USHERING IN A NEW SEASON
THEY WELCOME CHANGE,
AND TEACH ME I CAN DO THE SAME.
I always forget how much I love this season until it’s here, it has a special place in my heart. . . autumn has always been tainted for me because of the looming winter and having to say goodbye to summer. . . but, despite those mixed emotions, autumn brings so. much. unmistakable. beauty.
I’m so grateful that God created change and seasons.
And I love that creation shows that God can make *even* change beautiful.
I’ve always viewed spring & autumn as transition seasons: they don’t last very long and their role is to usher in the next season. . . spring brings summer and autumn welcomes winter. Because of that I’ve always felt like autumn is a season that’s hard to enjoy or settle into. The moment it comes, it’s gone. It can also be quite unpredictable (at least in North Carolina where one day it’s 75 degrees & sunny, and the next is cold, damp & cloudy.)
While the leaves fall and die I have thought to myself: “how amazing is it that God created the leaves to change color!? You know?! like. . . He could’ve made them just turn brown or simply anticlimactically fall without anything significant to show for. But no. . . He doesn’t do anything halfheartedly, He wanted to make it beautiful in the process. He wanted to make us stop & stare in awe of His handiwork.”
And maybe the thing about fall that makes us stop in our tracks to soak in the scenery for just a little while longer is the fact that we know it’ll soon be gone. . . it won’t last long and as fast as the leaves change they also fall; in a matter of weeks the trees will be bare and winter will be here. So we stop because we don’t know how much longer we have.
Similarly, there have been many seasons in my life that were shorter than I had expected and ended faster than I thought they would. Wishing I could go back to appreciate a time that’s come and gone doesn’t change that fact that it’s no longer here. While the four seasons in a year are predictable in their repeating rhythms, life’s seasons don’t hold such promise.
"you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." -James 4:14
“To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven”
-Ecclesiastes 3:1
"teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." -Psalm 90:12
Because life is so short I can appreciate the seasons that only feel like they’re here to usher in the next. I can be grateful for where I am today without feeling like I should hurry on in anticipation of the next.
"do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." -Matthew 6:34
I’m so thankful that God doesn’t make the in-between boring or dull. No! Fall shows me that He chooses to show His glory and make something truly awe-inspiring out of His creation; even as it’s dying. There’s no season so short or seemingly insignificant that God can’t bring something beautiful in the midst of it.
So, as we’re in the days of pumpkin everything, warm meals, shorter days, sweaters, and cooling temperatures I remember that there’s so much to be grateful for. . . Thanksgiving is not an activity reserved for one day, it’s something God has called us to dwell in every day and in every season. Don’t allow saying “goodbye” to a previous season or the uncertainty of the next season to rob you of the gratitude you can live in today.
"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." -1 Thessalonians 5:18
If it’s hard for you to give thanks in the season you’re in, I know what that’s like, I’ve been there and have things today that are very hard to be grateful for.
But don’t let that stop you. Start small:
the smell of pine.
your family around the table.
the sound of leaves crunching under your feet.
the feeling of a warm mug clutched between your hands.
leaves displaying the most beautiful shades of red, yellow & orange.
and maybe, as you start to name them one-by-one, you’ll find yourself falling in love with a season you never expected to.
“Blessed be the name of God forever: wisdom & might are His, it is He who changes the times & the seasons.” -Daniel 2:20-21
As of late, sometimes I find myself wrestling with those 6 words nestled in 1 Timothy 6:6.
Contentment is defined as “a mind contented or satisfied with its lot.”
This tells me that contentment has nothing to do with what we have and everything to do with our perspective, our mind, and our focus. The Bible has ssoooo much to say about our minds (Isaiah 26:3), the importance of renewing our minds in God’s Word (Romans 12:2), and focusing our minds on things of the Spirit (Romans 8:6).
I also love that definition because sometimes I find myself wondering what the “big picture” of my life will look like. Have you ever stayed up at night wondering that? Or my mind will fill with the kind of thoughts that only lead to emptiness and feelings of insufficiency: Am I enough? Am I doing enough? What should I do next? Have I done enough?
Sometimes I stay up wishing I could just have the “big questions” answered…the questions like: will _____ ever happen? when will _____ happen? because, if I had the answers, then I wouldn’t have to worry anymore, right? (Except I don’t think it really works like that. If I knew those answers it would probably cause more problems than it would solve…but that’s another topic.)
1 Timothy 6:6 always comes to my memory when I find myself wondering about these things. Like a rush, God’s Word stills my mind and quiets my heart: “godliness with contentment, is great gain.” And I am reminded to be content with my lot: to appreciate where I am, what’s in front of me, where my feet are, and the people I have around me and to let go of the unknowns — like the questions that lead me to ponder about the timeline of my life. I am reminded to trade my worry for trust — because there’s more to be gained through trusting than through knowing.
In the midst of the questions I always come back to:
godliness with contentment is great gain.
great gain: isn’t that what the world tells us it’s all about?
Isn’t that what we all feel like we should be chasing?
great. gain. ?
But the Bible says that great gain in God’s eyes looks nothing like the great gain we think we should be pursuing.
The gain that the world is chasing is self-focused and self-centered: all about my worth, my value, my success, and my plan. Contentment is often despised and replaced with comparison and covetousness. Think about it, if someone were to ask me: “How would you describe this season of life?” and I respond with: “content” I fear that word may be misunderstood as being unmotivated, complacent, directionless, or unambitious. Because too often we want something significant or flashy to show for our years lived.
But, with one verse, Jesus takes away all the expectations I’ve placed on myself and reminds me that it all boils down to:
godliness.
and
contentment.
What FREEDOM those 2 words bring!! When I’m focused on godliness then my eyes are off myself and as I pursue contentment then I am no longer concerned or worried with where I’ll be in the future or what my life will look like; I am simply resting and trusting God. Matthew 6:34 says:
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow,
for tomorrow will worry about itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
We will never be content today as long as we are worrying about tomorrow.
Philippians 4:6 says: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.” Instead of using my energy to worry, I can pour my energy into prayer.
“Worrying is carrying tomorrow’s load with today’s strength
carrying two days at once.
It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time.
Worrying doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrow,
it empties today of its strength.”
-Corrie Ten Boom
Only a few lines down in verse 11 of Philippians 4 Paul writes: “I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances.”
That tells me that contentment has to be learned! It’s a continual learning process because circumstances are continually changing. Whenever a new circumstance comes sometimes it’s like I have to start back at the beginning and learn contentment all over again, which can cause me to think: “I thought I learned this already?! Why does it feel like I’m back at square one?!”
But I think that is why godliness and contentment is such great gain.
Because it is something that we can carry into each and every season of life.
The world cannot take it away.
People cannot take it away.
Circumstances cannot take it away.
When your contentment comes from Christ, it is immovable and unshakable.
I’m so thankful that He takes all that I’m concerned with and simplifies it into two words: godliness and contentment.
So. simple.
And as long as I’m focused on those two things,
the rest that I’m concerned with will fall into place in God’s timing.
I want to esteem and pursue what He views as most important, not what I desire or want to accomplish in my life.
“Contentment has an internal quietness of heart
– Joni Eareckson Tada
that gladly submits to God in all circumstances.”
Isaiah 26:3 “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
Romans 12:2 “be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Romans 8:6 “to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”
“Yet I will praise….“
This declaration makes me think of how Job worshipped after losing everything.
In Job 1:21 he proclaims:
“The Lord gave & the Lord has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Job’s words teach me that worship is not an emotion or feeling, but it is more a choice: a decision to trust, bless, and worship God and proclaim His faithfulness when nothing makes sense and you have more questions than answers.
2020 has been quite a year. . . with so much chaos in the world it’s easy to get caught up in the confusion and allow the cares of this life to rob us of the peace we have in Jesus. (Philippians 4:5b-7 “The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.“)
It’s important, now more than ever before, that we keep our hearts and minds rooted in God’s love and in His Word. I think James says it perfectly in James 5:8 when he encouraged believers: “You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” This means that it’s easy for our hearts to be carried away, but we are instructed to establish our hearts on the firm foundation of Jesus.
For me, trust in God is one of the first things that is shaken when troublesome times come. The enemy will always try to rob us of our confidence in Christ and cause us to question His character and faithfulness. When I relinquish my trust it allows fear, anxiety, worry, and doubt to invade my heart and mind. It has been that way since the beginning of time ― in the garden, the serpent caused Eve to question God’s Word and made her think that God was not trustworthy when he said: “Has God surely said???” (Genesis 3:1) The serpent caused Eve to doubt God’s Word and tempted her to trust in herself instead of God.
When I find myself struggling to trust God I always find encouragement in reading and meditating on His Word and in reading the words of other believers who have testimonies of trusting in the Lord’s goodness in the midst of trials.
Those who have proclaimed, in the middle of the storm: “yet I will praise.”
In times like these, may we be those that are meditating on God’s Word, trusting in Him, and allowing Him to establish our hearts.
Below are some of my favorite quotes and verses to read in times of discouragement, worry, or doubt. I pray they remind you of how faithful, good, and trustworthy our Lord is ― He is worthy of our confidence, faith, and trust. May we resolve to worship and trust Jesus, whatever may come.
"Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." ― Corrie Ten Boom
“I would sooner walk in the dark and hold hard to a promise of my God, than trust in the light of the brightest day that ever dawned. To trust God in the light is nothing, but to trust Him in the dark - that is faith." ― Charles Spurgeon
"When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer." ― Corrie Ten Boom
"When I try, I fail. When I trust, He succeeds." ― Corrie Ten Boom
But I trust in Your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in Your salvation.
Psalm 13:5
In You, Lord my God,
I put my trust.
Psalm 25:1
But I trust in You,
Lord; I say,
“You are my God.”
Psalm 31:14
When I am afraid,
I put my trust in you.
Psalm 56:3
I will say of the Lord,
“He is my refuge & my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
Psalm 91:2
You who fear Him,
trust in the Lord—
He is their help & shield.
Psalm 115:11
Blessed is the one
who trusts in the Lord.
Proverbs 16:20b
Stop trusting in mere humans,
who have but a breath in their nostrils.
Why hold them in esteem?
Isaiah 2:22
In that day they will say,
“Surely this is our God;
we trusted in Him,
and He saved us.
This is the Lord,
we trusted in Him;
let us rejoice
& be glad in His salvation.”
Isaiah 25:9
This is what the Sovereign Lord,
the Holy One of Israel, says:
“In repentance & rest
is your salvation,
in quietness & trust
is your strength“
Isaiah 30:15
The Lord is good,
a refuge in times of trouble.
He cares for those who trust in Him.
Nahum 1:7
But blessed is the one
who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in Him.
Jeremiah 17:7
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
& lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to Him,
and He will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Those who know Your Name
trust in You, for You, Lord,
have never forsaken
those who seek You.
Psalm 9:10
Some trust in chariots
and some in horses,
but we trust in the name
of the Lord our God.
Psalm 20:7
The Lord is my Strength & my Shield;
my heart trusts in Him,
& He helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
and with my song I praise Him.
Psalm 28:7
In God, whose word I praise
in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can man do to me?
Psalm 56:4
They will have no fear of bad news;
their hearts are steadfast,
trusting in the Lord.
Psalm 112:7
Let the morning bring me word
of Your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in You.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I entrust my life.
Psalm 143:8
Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord Himself,
is my strength & my defense;
He has become my salvation.
Isaiah 12:2
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You,
because they trust in you.
Isaiah 26:3
Trust in the Lord forever,
for the Lord, the Lord Himself,
is the Rock eternal.
Isaiah 26:4
May the God of hope fill you with all
joy & peace as you trust in Him,
so that you may overflow
with hope by the power
of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13