SURVIVING THE DAYS OF FALL

We are something else! Whose “we?” “We” are those of who complain about the hot days of summer, and when the fall season comes, we keep complaining, merely changing the subject of our grievances. It’s not cold enough to turn on the furnace and it’s not so hot that we need to turn on the air conditioning, but the chill it the house keeps us complaining.

We jump, figuratively, not literally, into the shower and we think that the heated water really can’t get any hotter. Not wanting to get out of the comfort of the heat provided by the water streaming powerfully, at full blast, from the showerhead, we typically take longer showers. We wash from head to toe thoroughly; scrub our bodies like never before. Even the hard-to-reach toe silently says, “What’s this? I’m getting washed today?” Excuse my imagination, just trying to make a point. You see, we don’t take the quick showers we did in the summer. The water from the shower cannot get too hot. So, there are none of those quick showers like those before we go to work or like the one that we took after gym class back in the days. No, the heat of the fall shower helps us survive the fall days.

Somebody is reading this saying, “How did the aforementioned help me?” Well, I was attempting, just trying, to get your attention to make sure that you do not let the change of seasons cause you to retreat to your places of comfort, thinking the seasonal change should be accompanied by a fall in your commitment to do the work of the Lord, resembling falling leaves in the meteorological seasons. Falling, from a spiritual sense translates to failing; failing to do the work of Him who sent us. Listen! Regardless of what you are experiencing figuratively in your life; rain or snow, frigid or flaming situations; be it the warmth in a special relationship or the winds of adversity in that same special relationship, you can survive the days of fall. In this life, it won’t always be comfortable. No one is exempt from unwanted changes and uncomfortable circumstances. No one is exempt from trying times or an unwanted turnaround in one’s social climate. Yes, we can retreat for a couple of seasons, but to do so, really would be displeasing to God. We can withdraw, but we would never win a soul. I think we are supposed to be soul-winners. So, don’t recoil or retreat to a place of comfort. Don’t stay in the “shower” of complacency and comfortable feelings. Instead, get out of the “tub” and look at your opportunities to live up to your commitments to serve the Lord and to be His witnesses. I promise you that you will not only survive the days of fall, but you will satisfy, better stated, please the Lord our God. And when you please the Lord, He surely will bless you through any of the figurative seasons of life that you will encounter.

Now, I don’t want you to sing out, “I will survive,” but I want you to sing out, “I will not only sustain my level of service, by I will surpass it, come what may in this or any season.”

I hope you are not confused by my words, but instead I hope you feel challenged, and as a result more committed to the climb. Have a great day! Be blessed!

“Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord [always doing your best and doing more than is needed], being continually aware that your labor [even to the point of exhaustion] in the Lord is not futile nor wasted [it is never without purpose].” (I Corinthians 15:58 The Amplified Bible)

Committed to the climb,

Mark L. King