Well, my friend, we made it. Fall is just around the corner, so I can officially say, “’Tis the season for pumpkin spice lattes, football games, and all things that glimmer and glow those deep muted shades of orange, red, and soft yellow.” Yes, please! Ecclesiastes 3:1 states,
“To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heavens.”
While I have yet to dig my pumpkins and fall decor out of the attic, that verse sits proudly on our coffee table, often catching my eye and softy whispering that a new season is on the horizon, and with it comes a plethora of new possibilities.
Whether you are a “fall lover” or prefer more of summer's relaxed and lazy days, let me remind you that God is creating room for us to seize the moments and use our time wisely to make an eternal impact. While we live on this side of heaven, God has appointed a time for everything, and each season (including the seasons of our lives) holds a specific purpose. So, it begs the question, how will we make the most of our time and impact the kingdom of God?
Well, my dear friend, this is why I love the fall season so much! It practically extends a warm welcome to live our lives differently. Not only is that but there is also this tender invitation to pause and reflect on our lives. While that may trigger a mix of emotions where joy can easily clash with sorrow, it also reminds us that this life is temporary and our days matter, especially to our Heavenly Father.
So, as we see the leaves morph, change, and slowly drift to the ground, let’s use that beautiful unveiling to be a sweet calling to set our sights on the things above (Colossians 3:2). That said, are you ready to prepare your heart for this new autumn season and shift your mindset, seeking ways to make an eternal impact? I think I heard your heart whisper, “Yes!”
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1. "Fall In Love" with Your Life
"You reveal the path of life to me; in your presence is abundant joy; at your right hand are eternal pleasures." - Psalm 16:11 CBS
Let me start with a simple question: “Do you love your life?” It’s a simple but loaded question. Yet, the truth of the matter is that conditions usually apply. We may love our lives when things go right, and our relationships aren’t demanding or difficult. But what about the times when life takes a detour, and we hit a rough patch, or worse yet, we hit rock bottom?
Psalms 16:11 reminds us that David, who claimed to be “a man after God’s own heart,” waded through some tough times in his life. From battling giants and endless wars, which forced him to react in hostile and violent ways, to the thirteen years he spent in the wildness as a fugitive of Saul (1 Samuel 23:14), you can bet there were times he didn’t necessarily “love” his life. Yet, despite his affliction, he continued to cry out to the Lord, setting His eyes above. Basically, amid his pain and suffering, David remained faithful and was grateful that the Lord provided a path to heaven to escape the ways of this often harsh and brutal world.
Friend, you may be facing your own giants, but there is an opportunity to love your life due to the eternal promise found in Philippians 3:20-21. Regardless of our circumstances, we can still choose love via faithfulness. We can love God with a faithful and humble heart, trusting Him even when life is filled with grace and devastating challenges. By accepting His grace and new mercies offered to us daily, we begin to see the path ahead of us and walk in faith. All we have to do is take a step forward and keep looking up!
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2. Shift Your Mindset
"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." - Philippians 4:9
The whimsical fall season practically begs us to embrace a new and evolving mindset. Yet, what does the Bible say about our mindset and what plagues our thoughts? A lot. In Philippians, Paul tells us that as believers, God will guard our hearts (Philippians 4:7), but we are commanded to focus on what is noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, and praiseworthy.
Sounds easy enough, but as you well know, this time of year can easily usher in fright and fear, infiltrating our communities and homes with gory images and wrongful depictions of death. So, how can we combat the worldly view this season can bring and embrace the peaceful and beautiful depiction that God creates for us in His autumn handiwork? We must shift our mindset by releasing our fleshly desires over to God and yearning to be filled and led by the Holy Spirit. Place your sights on what pleases God and see this season's beauty and splendor.
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3. Love Others Well
"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." - John 15:12
The key to loving others well is having a deep and close connection to the Creator of love. Only when we abide in Christ can we truly love others with grace, humility, sacrifice, and service. Our gracious and loving God provides us with a hierarchy for our relationships and teaches us how to love people with a Christ-like love. It begins with loving God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength (Matthew 22:37). Once we submit to Him and His authority over our lives, we are then able to whole-heartedly love our spouse (Ephesians 5:21), our children (Psalm 127:3), and our friends (Proverbs 17:17).
This fall, choose to love others like Christ by seeking Him first and aligning your heart with His. Then, allow Him to lead, direct you to serve, and love those around you better. That may look like sprinkling some date nights on the busy calendar or baking yummy fall goodies for your elderly neighbor. It just takes a conscious effort, but the truth of the matter is that if we really want to make an eternal impact, it begins by spreading God’s love!
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4. Use Your Gifts and Talents
"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms." - 1 Peter 4:10
What’s the difference between a God-given talent and a Spiritual gift? Talents are the natural abilities that one possesses, such as sports, art, or photography. They can be bestowed on anybody from our gracious God. Yet, spiritual gifts (which can also be talents) are given only to believers in accordance with God’s abundant grace to exemplify His goodness and faithfulness. I like to think of them as superpowers from God.
As believers, we all have spiritual gifts that the Lord has given us for a missional purpose. And let me be very clear - there is not one gift that is too small or too great, as all can be used for God’s purpose and glory! If we really want to make an eternal impact, we mustn’t be complacent but rather step out in faith, willing and ready to use our gifts to grow God’s kingdom. We can do that by being attentive and in tune with where our gifts may be needed in the church or community.
If you are unsure what your gifts are, begin by thinking about what you enjoy doing in your spare time. Do you have a certain passion or something that really puts your mind at ease and comes easily to you? That could be a gift God has planted in your heart to use. If you are still unclear, seek God to lay on your heart what it is that He wants you to use for His glory. Then, allow Him to lead and guide your passions for His purpose.
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5. Count Your Blessings
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." - Ephesians 1:3
Sweet friend, if we truly want to make an eternal impact by living out who we truly are in Christ, we need to be able to adopt the new creation that He has so gracious given us (2 Corinthians 5:17) and place our hearts at His feet in thanks and praise.
Ephesians 1:3 brings an all-embracing truth that our Lord Jesus Christ came to this earth to bring forth every blessing we need. Between God’s grace and the ultimate sacrifice for our salvation, we have the right as His beloved children to a life far greater than this. It’s a spiritual blessing that covers us in His love while shielding us from our own sin because God’s plan and purpose for us is more than we could ever even imagine (1 Corinthians 2:9).
As God is the author and giver of life, we must count our blessings, from the minuscule to the massive to everything in between. The fall season creates a beautiful opportunity for us to pause, reflect, and pray, praising God in the process. Let your senses come alive and welcome the crisp, cool air feel while taking in the rich, dark hues and warm, musky smells. Our God sure does have a beautiful way of using the changing seasons to entice us to take notice of His majestic handiwork. Let this season be when you draw close to God and thank Him for all He has done and is doing in your life.
Friend, as we head into this beautiful time of year, let’s be sure to create space for God to move in our hearts and provide ways to make an impact that will last for eternity!
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Originally published Monday, 09 September 2024.