Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It was too cold to spend time with the Living God outside today but I endured the cold long enough to snap a photo of what the hand of God looks like from the porch this morning. I love the Fall season more than all the others. It’s a time of vibrant colors all around me, from the leaves to the sunrise, but it’s also a time of change. First, the leaves turn every shade of yellow, orange, and red, and then they shed the dead. I don’t care much for naked trees, however, it’s when they shed the dead you begin to see things you haven’t seen before…things that were masked by the leaves. Isn’t that just the way it is with Life? It’s only when we are willing to “shed the dead” that we have the chance to see Life in ways we’ve never seen before, and although it’s a brutal process, it’s the only way to Growth in the Spring. Isn’t that the way you see the Journey of Faith too?

It’s amazing when you think about it – the leaves of the trees are the most magnificent just before they shed the dead and fall to the ground. When the trees begin to shed the dead, they are preparing to go dormant for the winter. God wired them to “conserve” water and energy throughout the winter so that they’re prepared to begin the growth process again in the Spring. Without the process of shedding the dead, their growth would be thwarted and the future wouldn’t be so bright for them in the next season. What’s true for God’s creation and how he “wired” the trees is also also true for God’s people. Until we’re willing to shed the dead…to let go of painful things we’re clinging to…to forgive…the cast our burdens at His feet instead of attempting to carry them around…we can’t grow tall and strong the way we’re intended to and we’ll never see behind what the leaves are masking. This is the Key to Spiritual Maturity.

It would be interesting if we could see people the way God sees them – if we could just SEE their dead leaves and what they’re holding onto that needs to be let go. No doubt it would be painful to see, but it might just compel us to us tell them about the importance of shedding the dead. If we could see, maybe we would take the time to explain what Purpose looks like and how they’ll only begin to Grow and Thrive if they’re willing to shed the dead. If we could see, we might just Share what God has to say about shedding the dead: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Just think, we would have a front-row seat to see New Life spring forth right before our very eyes as the dead is shed and each burden falls at the foot of the Cross. This is the Key to the Great Commission.

There is great purpose in the fall foliage that we have the opportunity to enjoy each year but THERE IS NO purpose in holding on to the dead in our lives that needs to be let go. As surely as the dead leaves would tap the resources of the tree preventing it from preparing for Spring growth, the dead we refuse to shed in our lives will rob us of a Good Future too. No burden is too heavy for God to carry and no pain is too great for Him to Heal. There is no Shame too big to be washed clean by the blood of the Lamb and no transgression that God can’t erase. But, there IS an adversary that would like you to believe that refusing to shed the dead is no big deal at all and that the burdens you’re carrying around needlessly are nobody else’s business. What better way to convince you to hold on to things that need to be shed? This is the Key to Fighting and Winning the Spiritual War.

I’ve shed lots of dead in my lifetime and I know what Freedom feels like because of it. I don’t try to carry my own burdens…I give them to Him instead! It wasn’t until I shed the dead that I buried my shame and I began to see things about my life that had been masked by my leaves…things that needed to be “pruned” by the Hand of God. It wasn’t until I shed the dead that I revealed the most Amazing Testimony of Faith to share with the world. It wasn’t until I shed the dead that I found genuine Joy in all circumstances and I learned to be content. It wasn’t until I shed the dead that I REALLY began to Grow. My roots are deep and strong because I shed the dead, and today I’m an Unstoppable Vessel for the King of all kings. This is the Key to Spiritual Victory.

How about you?