Green Leaves

Jeremiah 17:7-8: "Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose CONFIDENCE is in Him.  They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.  It does not fear when the heat comes; its leaves are always green.  It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."


When I consider my life, where I have been, where I have gone, and what I have done, I see several seasons.  There have been seasons of growth; incredible growth that has brought me closer to my Savior, my Redeemer, my Friend.  There have been seasons of rejuvenation, where I have felt new and knew that there was transformation in my heart and in my life. I saw God work in and through me so clearly in those times. Throughout my short time here on Earth, I have felt lost in seasons of incredible drought.  In those times I was left searching, seeking, and often feeling helpless and alone.  There have been seasons of scorching heat, when everything felt overwhelming, where I felt as if my life was going in slow motion and I was just sitting in the background, looking at life unfold ahead of my eyes. 


When I think about my life as a daughter of the most High God seeking to grow closer to Him each day, it is easy to look at Jeremiah 17:7-8 and say, "sure! I will have no worries when the droughts come.  I will continue to bear fruit and be a cheerful follower of Christ when suffering comes.  I will have complete confidence in the Lord and will look to Him and not wither and fade."  However, often in times of drought or sadness or stress... I cease to bear fruit.  The green leaves of my life wither.  They turn crispy and brown.  They crinkle and begin to blow in the wind. They fall away from the Tree of Life.  


God has been teaching to have full CONFIDENCE in Him.  To trust Him in seasons of drought.  It is a hard lesson to learn.  And it does not come quickly.  Daily I have to ask for forgiveness for not trusting God and not having CONFIDENCE in His truth. As God continues to lead me throughout life, He is the one that gives me life.  He is the one that satisfies, that fills, that rejuvenates.  Through the Holy Spirit, I can bear fruit in every season of my life.  


As God continues to lead me through life, whether it be here on campus, at home, or in Africa next fall, I hope to have green leaves; leaves that will never wither and turn brown and fall away from their source of Life; leaves that will bear fruit because they are nurtured and loved by the God of the universe; leaves that will bring the love of Christ to others.


"Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on the banks of the river.  Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail.  Every month they will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them.  Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing."  
 Exekiel 47:12