I have a collection of black and white prints of trees in my hallway.  It started with a lone tree against a foggy background as a gift from my friend Beth – a reminder to have faith on the “foggy days”.  Days when you can’t see your way forward.  After 13 years and some green from my wallet, my one tree has grown and I now have a forest lining my hall.

I like trees.  Trees are pretty chill.  They don’t take themselves too seriously.  They know how to just be.  I’ve never see a tree beating itself up for not growing up faster or comparing itself to the other trees.  Like I said, trees are just chill, except the ones on The Wizard of Oz – those trees were beyond creepy.  Normal, non-apple throwing trees don’t complain when it’s time to change their wardrobe from vibrant green to a dying orange.  They don’t stress when they feel the winter winds blow on their limbs.  Instead they shimmer and dance when the rains come.  They sway when the wind blows and they thrive – not in spite of change but because of it.

Trees are smarter than us.

Humans on the other hand freak out about things we cannot change.  Things that are out of our control to change.  We stress, we fear, we bite our nails, we complain, and we drag our feet.  I’ve never seen a tree bite it’s nails.  I think trees understand something we don’t.  Seasons are inevitable.  Life is a revolving door of change and instead of fighting it they gracefully embrace it knowing that they grow because of the change.

Paul says it this way. . .

1 Corinthians 3:6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God brought the increase.

Paul was writing to the Corinthians who were arguing over who should get the credit – Paul or Apollos.  Humans are so concerned about which one of us should get the credit when really, it’s God who causes growth.

What if we lived like this?  Trusting God to bring results instead of freaking out, wondering if we’ve done everything perfectly enough to be worthy of a promotion, an interview, or someone’s attention.  Trusting that even though life changes, God is faithful to bring about our increase when it’s the right season.  So even though you might be leafless right now and feeling pretty exposed keep your chin up –  your leaves will come back around again.

And you’ll be bushier than ever.