Fall, the season when leaves fall and flowers fade, but what many don’t realize, is that fall is also planting season. Over the past few weeks, I’ve planted a couple of trees, sown Kentucky Blue Grass, and hit the yard with a covering of Scott’s fertilizer with a good dose of 2-4-D. Why? Because fall is the best time to make sure you have a successful spring. Planting trees in the fall allows their roots to grow deep while the branches are dormant. Seeding has the same impact, grass grows stronger, and when you fertilize, you kill both seen and unseen weeds. By fertilizing we eliminate a lot of problems that would show up in the spring and summer. Why do I mention fall planting? Because I believe there is an important spiritual principle to be found. Why do our lives have dormant times? Why do we have seasons where God seems to disappear, or we feel abandoned? Because God knows we need developmental seasons. Dormant periods are times when God brings growth to our lives. Some look at fall, when the trees are losing their leaves, and say, the trees are dying, but we know better. The same principle works in our lives, some may look at a person and say they are dying, or you may feel as though God has forsaken you, but be confident, God is at work. It’s in dormant times that our faith grows deep. It’s in difficult stretches that we experience God in ways beyond our imagination. Moses has a Fall season. He kills an Egyptian, flees to the wilderness and his life appears to be dying. But it was in the wilderness that Moses learned to hear God’s voice, trust God, and navigate the land he would lead people through, all in a season that seemed to be counterproductive. Don’t be discouraged when your life feels inactive, God is developing you, preparing you for your next season. Embrace your fall!
