Shedding in the Fall

Autumn is a time of watching the flowers fade from their summer glory, the leaves on trees turn and the evergreens shed needles.  All of these things can leave us feeling a bit blue until spring comes around when the beautiful flowers begin appearing, vibrant colors spring from the trees and new growth decorates the tips of the evergreens.  We have renewed hope when springtime bursts forth.

Our lives have many seasons that are much like the ones we observe in nature.  We take on new habits, patterns and thoughts and the grow and expand in our life.  We take them on for many reasons: we see that they are popular in culture, we deem them necessary for bettering our life, we hope to have a positive effect on people around us – in our family, workplace or relationships – or we want to bring changes to our society to help others.  Some things are added in self defense, from a place of pride or fear.  Still others are so ingrained in the lifestyle and verbiage of those around us that we put them on without really thinking about it.  

While we are in the midst of fall, the shedding season when nature lets go of what is no longer useful to make room for new growth in the spring, then we should also be assessing what is in our lives to discern what is old and needs to be stopped to make room for something better, more productive, what is more kind or true.  

Here are some Bible verses that can give you more ideas of what to shed this fall:

Colossians 3:8-10

Ephesians 4:31

Eph 4:22-24

1 Peter 2:1

Titus 2:12-13