It's time for fall

Personal Photo: I took this photo just yesterday, and the bold colors coming to life on the Tennessee mountainside captivated me. We are not so different when we let go of the things holding us back. When we cling to our faith and to the Almighty Lord, we are able to focus on the beautiful light at the end of the tunnel and bring others to His light along the way!

I have always had a hard time choosing a favorite season, mainly because there is so much to appreciate about each of them. As we are in the heart of October, I am reminded of the lovely whisper of Autumn; the refreshing chilly breeze, the darker evenings, the sunshine that feels a little further away. Autumn reminds me of what it feels like to be alive, to be awakened with the cold on my fingertips, the comfort of soups and pies and spices.

A fan favorite of the season is the changing of the leaves, the magical display of saying goodbye to summertime and preparing for the colder months ahead. The vibrancy of Fall has always been alluring, and I jump into the vivid, fiery colors every year. What is always challenging to accept is the briefness of it; The changing of the leaves, the dance they do to make their way to the ground, it all happens in such a short time. In the matter of a couple weeks, we find that most trees are bare. It is a stark reminder to enjoy the moment we are in, to take in the beauty while it lasts.

I stumbled across a post on Facebook a few weeks ago, indicating how the trees are about to show us how beautiful it is to let things go. I actually took a screenshot of it. Letting things go, moving on, closing chapters in order to start new ones are all critical moments in life, all bittersweet times of transition from one moment to the next. When we consider what it means to let things go as a Christian, there are so many ways we could take it (See my 'Letting it go' Article on forgiveness, which actually talks about Springtime!). With active and living faith, we have the chance to say goodbye to the past, move on from the person we were yesterday, and shed the weight of sin and of this world.

As we navigate growing pains, uncharted waters, and unforeseen challenges throughout life, it can be easy to feel trapped by our circumstances, our surroundings, and / or our past. When we choose to walk with Christ, when we choose to practice real and loyal faith, we are able to look forward with hope, and shed the weight of this world. It makes the impossible become within reach. Isaiah 48:18-19 tells us "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." This verse directly calls us to abandon the past, abandon the hopelessness of life without a savior from our sin. We are able to live through Christ, and therefore we can have faith in the truth He speaks to us. Nothing we experience can suffocate our faith, can steal our hope. When we are rooted in Christ, we are able to trust that He will provide for us a way out, give us hope when all feels lost.

The concept of Jesus Christ coming to save the world was completely and entirely new compared to the ways in which Heaven was thought to be achieved. In many ways, it is still new to this world; our sinful environment tells us that there are many ways to get to Heaven, that Jesus is not the only answer. However, John 14:6 contradicts these claims by stating "Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." When we choose to trust in this promise that there is no other way to Heaven, no other way to salvation, no other way to eternal life, we are swimming upstream in a world that tells us the complete opposite. Taking the narrow path, the difficult path to walk with Christ, amidst the devil's attempts to bully us away from Him, allows us to be equipped with a faith that disarms the devil and his workers. This faith is what provides the chance to let go of how the world thinks of us, let go of the versions of ourselves that we shed when growing in our faith. There is one answer, and it is Christ.

While we go through the journey of our lives here on Earth, the light at the end of the tunnel can often get lost in the background, shut out by all the noise in our immediate present. Part of letting go of the weight of sin, remaining firm in faith, and abandoning the guilt of our past is to remember to focus on what is coming. When we remain hopeful, knowing that regardless of what happens to us, the light at the end of the tunnel is always there, the reward is eternity with our loving God, it changes the entire perspective of letting go. Philippians 3:13-14 tells us "But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Here the Apostle Paul is talking about the quest to Heaven, the steps we take to be with the Lord. He is emphasizing the motion of moving forward, of releasing what has released us and spending our energy on giving glory to God in every step. We are able to do the same. We are God's children, loved and adored by our Heavenly Father. He sacrificed His only Son so that we could celebrate in Heaven, be saved from our own sinful nature, and be with Him forever. Knowing these things gifts us the key to letting go of who we were before Christ claimed us, before we chose to walk with Him. It is the chance to abandon the way the world throws rocks at things that shine, and it gives us a boost of support when we feel bruised and ragged.

Autumn is the reminder we all need that letting go of our past, our sins, our hurt, the ways the world judges us, the weight of sin, and so much more, is necessary and it is beautiful. The vibrancy of Fall is seen in our lives when we let go as well. And the briefness of Fall helps to remind us that letting go of these things provides instant results; God does not wait to accompany His children, and the Holy Spirit is eager is instill hope within us. Hope is a light within our souls, one that people recognize and crave. With the living faith that provides that hope, we are able to shine that light to give glory to His name, and to remind others to focus on what is coming ahead, the light at the end of the tunnel. It is time for fall, time to let go, time to seek Christ and His gift to us in everything we do!