Autumn of the Soul

My husband is hunting in the beautiful mountains of Colorado this fall…while I am stuck sweltering in the still-summer heat of Arizona. The only way to recognize that it’s fall here is to keep scrolling through my Facebook feed, looking at all of my friends’ gorgeous fall pictures. You know the ones they take - apple picking, pumpkin carving, leaf gazing, marshmallow roasting, jeans and sweaters and cute boots wearing. I hate flip flops.

Fall actually is my favorite time of year. I used to think it was just because my birthday is in the fall, but now I recognize so many things that I couldn’t identify as a child. Cooler temperatures. Lower humidity - at least in the Mid-West, where I grew up. And those leaves! All the incredible colors that our Creator has designed for us to enjoy - the golds, reds, oranges, and even browns.

The street I lived on had an abundance of large, mature hardwood trees. Every fall, it became a colorful bower, framing a quaint, old cathedral at the end. Now that I live in Arizona, it’s a bit harder to find fall. But in my heart, I go back home every year to that lovely spot.

Fall is beautiful because the earth, under God’s designed order, is letting go of things that don’t serve it well any longer. The trees and plants are preparing for a season of rest, hibernation, and preparation for yet another cycle of growth and production. I need that in my life, too.

“Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” (John 15:2)

What must I prune from my heart?

Of course, sin and anything that is keeping me from God has to go. Idols of the heart, which take many forms, often creep in and crowd God out of our lives. It can look like something good - raising a family, taking care of our homes, doing our jobs well - yet become a hindrance to our walk with the Lord. Instead of training our children to obey so that they might properly respond to God, we obsess with perfection so that others will know what great parents we are. Instead of using our homes to demonstrate the love of Christ, we make them into showcases of our wealth and prosperity. Or instead of working faithfully to open doors of opportunity and ministry or to provide for our families, we make materialism and the collection of money and things our ultimate goal.

Confession is necessary every day, year round. And how does one remove sin from his life? All we must do is repent, for Christ has completed the work for us! The definition of “repent” is “sincere regret or remorse.” I’ve often heard it described as a change in direction. It is turning away from the pattern and path of wrong doing in my life, and instead moving back toward God and His ways. God’s promise to those who do confess and forsake their sins is forgiveness, one of the best words in a Christian’s vocabulary! Read these verses to be reminded of God’s faithfulness to always forgive.

“[God] hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:10- 12)

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9)

Distractions must also be rigorously pruned from our lives. And in our world today, distractions abound. Sports, social media, politics, entertainment, and the list goes on. Take this time to remember and refocus on the primary goal of your life. Is it to please yourself? Is it to gain fame, wealth, or power? Scripture tells us what our aim ought to be: holy living for God’s glory.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved.” (Eph. 1:3-6)

“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.” (Rev. 4:11)

Do you ever find yourself so busy, that you don’t have time to think about what you are doing, how you are doing it, or, especially, why you are doing it? An expression I learned from my Aunt Miriam is, “busier than a one-armed paper hanger.” Doesn’t that perfectly describe how we often feel? No time to think. No time to evaluate. Just keep going, because otherwise, we’re going to be run over by the semi-truck load of things on our to-do list. If we get behind once, we’ll never catch up.

Friend, can I gently remind you that this is not how God intended for His children to live? Busyness does not equal holiness. In fact, it usually equals the opposite: hurried, thoughtless, frustrated, weary, and worn. Hear God’s words of care and comfort for you. Make time to be quiet and listen for His still, small voice speaking love and encouragement to you. Trust that He is working all things together for your good and His glory - in His time. He will have some things He wants you to do, but at the top of that list is spending time getting to know Him.

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, Take my yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30)

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Ps. 46:10)

“The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of Thine own hands.” (Ps. 138:8)

Now that you’ve cleaned out those things that are not serving you and your God-given purposes, it’s time to re-prioritize. What are the things that God is teaching you? How does He want you to spend your time, resources, and energy? Prayerfully consider these things, gleaning wisdom from His Word and advice from your spouse, family, and close friends. Look for open doors and opportunities. His answer may surprise you! Or you may have already known what He is calling you to do, but you have chosen to cover it up or ignore it until now. Be prepared to follow and obey Him, wherever He is leading.

“And the Lord, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.” (Deut. 31:8)

“And David said to Solomon his son [as God says to His children], Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.” (I Chron. 28:20)

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” (I Cor. 2:9)

“Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (Phil. 1:6)

Finally, make a plan for what is to come. This may look like a season of purging your home of needless clutter and stuff. It may be clearing your schedule and creating more margin in each day. It may be establishing a routine in order to help preserve calm, order, and structure for yourself and your family. Maybe there is a new undertaking that will require a good deal of preparation, new learning, or a change in your life. Those are good things, too, when they are in line with God’s plan for you.

“And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve Him only…” (I Sam. 7:3)

“Lord, Thou hast heard the desire of the humble: Thou wilt prepare their heart, Thou wilt cause Thine ear to hear:” (Ps. 10:17)

What changes do you need to implement in your home, your schedule, your responsibilities, and especially, in your heart this fall? How will you use this fall, this “Autumn of the Soul” to prepare for a new season of growth in the Lord? May we each wisely choose to use this time to re-focus on Him and His will for our lives.