Let Things Go

 Psalm 62:5-8

Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
    my hope comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
    he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
    he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, you people;
    pour out your hearts to him,
    for God is our refuge.

"The trees are about to show us how lovely it is to let things go."

Autumn has arrived in a glorious hue of magnificent color this year. I can’t remember a recent fall as beautiful as the one we are experiencing now in southern Ohio. From the photos I’ve seen on Facebook, the rest of the country is gorgeous, as well.

My daughter and I took a drive to see the trees in Kentucky. She pointed out one on her street in an amazing shade of magenta. Surrounded by oranges and golds, the tree stood out as a true beauty. All of these trees in all of their glory are preparing to shed their leaves and rest for a season. I’m glad they are giving us a show before they go.

And go they will. One day in a few weeks we’ll wake up to bare branches where glorious beauty once waved. The thing is, the trees are okay with it. It’s their process. Every year they let their leaves drop and prepare for a season of dormancy. That doesn’t mean they go to sleep, instead they prepare for spring by reducing water loss in the branches and trunk.

They let go in order to protect themselves from being depleted of the what they need to continue to grow in the coming spring.

Letting go of past sins is hard, especially when guilt and shame tighten their grip on the heart. Part of having freedom in Christ is to let go of the past and the sin and trust in God’s grace. Jesus is my salvation, my cleansing, and my rock. I’ve sought forgiveness and in His graciousness, He’s given.

Like the deciduous trees who drop their leaves in the fall and sustain themselves by preparing for the next phase, I want to let go of the past and store up my trust in Jesus and His grace. It is lovely to let go and find rest in God.