One of my favorite things about the upcoming fall season is the beauty of nature. As soon as September arrives, I get excited about it and know that soon the time will come when the color of the leaves will change, and the air will be cooler. On September 5th, I looked out my bedroom window and saw that one of the trees had a section of leaves that were bright red. The picture on this post (left side) does not do it justice. It was extremely bright and a beautiful sight to see. My first thought was that it was pretty early for this to be taking place, and I even laughed to myself thinking this particular branch was ready to make its fall debut regardless of what was going on with the rest of the tree. It wanted to stand out and be seen.
Two days later, most of those red leaves were gone. (Picture on the right side) The Holy Spirit gave me the words, “out of order,” and I was reminded of how it crossed my mind two days before that it was too early for the leaves to change. The leaves on that branch acted prematurely and had the spotlight for two days when it could have stayed connected and in tune with the rest of the tree and enjoyed the spotlight for a few weeks.
I started thinking about the way we live our lives and try to make things happen through our effort and on our timeline instead of according to God’s will. So many times, we do what we think is best without considering God’s will. Even when we are acting on a dream that God has placed in our hearts and wants us to fulfill, we must be mindful to not take that dream and run with it on our own. We must trust that the Holy Spirit will order our steps to fulfill the dream according to God’s plan and purpose. When we do things prematurely or out of order, it will not work out. Simple as that. Initially, it may give the appearance of having worked out, and we may briefly relish that perceived success. That season may last for days, weeks, months, or even years. When it falls apart, however, we will hopefully learn the lesson and be reminded to submit our plans to God every single day and let Him lead the way.
Proverbs 19:21 (NIV) says “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Everything we do in every area of our life must be led by the Holy Spirit according to God’s will. Trust that if God has placed a dream in your heart, He will provide the way for you to fulfill it in the timeline He has set. Trust it is for your benefit. Do not be surprised if the way there and the timeline do not look anything like the plan you would have laid out. Just roll with it. The Holy Spirit will never lead you down the wrong path.
The next time you encounter something that does not work out according to plan, take a moment to reflect on whether you are conducting your will or God’s will. If you know you are walking according to God’s will, you can trust that what appears to be a derailment, is God working in your favor. Ask Him what you need to learn or understand and stay tuned in for Him to continue to order your steps. Remember – according to Romans 8:28 all things truly are working for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose.
While it was great to see the bright red leaves in that one section of the tree, I am looking forward to seeing all the leaves changing color on the same schedule so that I can enjoy the beauty of the entire tree. The beauty of God’s amazing creation.
I have questions for you. Are you out of order? The world is filled with so many people who are on an emotional roller coaster. People who are unhappy and hopeless rather than joyful and filled with peace. How are YOU doing? Do you want your story to be one of triumph or one of tragedy? Are you in complete alignment with God’s will for your life at this moment? If so, that is amazing! Share your journey with others so they may be encouraged. If not, talk with God about it with an open heart, mind, and willingness to surrender completely to His plan. God’s plan coupled with our obedience will never fail.
Your time spent reading this post is deeply appreciated. If you prefer to listen, all blog posts are accessible on SoundCloud.