James and I took photos in a nearby park, two weekends ago. As we were sitting there, I couldn't help but notice change....how the leaves were changing....as we ALL see this when autumn comes our way. I began to think about change.
Many of us enjoy the changing of seasons. It seems we can't wait for spring to come after a long cold winter.....when the blossoms come in springtime and fill the air with sweet perfumes. Then, we can't wait for those blossoms to turn into green leaves blowing in the hot summer days! Still, we eagerly await fall and it's magnificent colors: the trees turning red, orange, yellow, and then, brown.....as the leaves fall and so does the snow. We love to see that fluffy stuff, just frosting the empty branches that glitter in the morning sunlight...still beautiful in their own way.
We have a push and pull with the seasons: we love the existing one but can't wait for the next. I wonder sometimes what God thinks? He must think we are impatient. He gives us today and the beauty that he created for today...not for tomorrow, but for today. But, we just don't want to wait...we want what's next! That got me thinking about where God has us, and sometimes where we WISH we could be!!
Sometimes we look around at the people in our lives and wish we could be where they are at in their life and where they are at in their faith. But, God doesn't work like that. God works through us and strengthens us...through a process. This process may consist of some difficult times in our lives--even some testing times. These moments and seasons in our lives help build our character, strengthen our faith roots, equip us in our ability to do more for the One who is revealing to us our dependence on Him. We may be at a point in our life today that we will have made it through by this time tomorrow, but we can't skip ahead. The same goes for the trees. There needs to be spring blossoms, to bring green summer leaves, fall colors, etc... The color of the trees today may not be the color they are tomorrow. Also, the color changing process of one tree may be longer/shorter than another tree. I saw some trees in the park still green and vibrant. Then, right next to those trees I saw the orange and yellow leaved tree vibrant in a different way {as in the photo above}. That sighting moved my thoughts on to thinking about what God has called you and I to do. God may be calling me where I am at right now to be vibrant and "green," while He may be calling you to be vibrant and "orange" in a different way for Him.
What God calls us to do today, may change tomorrow or next year. We can never remain the same...we must constantly be changing or "surrendering" more things to the One who holds our todays and our tomorrows. God may call me to this place over here, today, to finish this one task He has put in my life....then He may call me to this next step over here to continue the plan He has set before me, and allow me to "change color." Also, God's calling for my life is not going to be the same calling He has for your life. There are many different personalities, talents, gifts that God has given each of us. We each are at different points in our lives, so the "color changing" process is going to be different for each of us. There is no need to be jealous of each other's "color" and level of "vibrancy" for God, just contentment and humbleness...knowing that God even chooses to use us each where we are at....that's amazing and what you call grace! We can become more and more vibrant for God as we surrender more to him and as we put His Word in our hearts. One calling that remains the same for all of us, though,is that God desires each of us to live our lives according to His will and not our own.
Stand vibrant and colorful for God in the way He has called YOU to be and allow change to take place in your heart, soul, and mind! Who knows....God may call you to be "orange" tomorrow....just be patient, YOUR next season will come and He's not done with you yet.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Psalm 139:14
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