Autumn is upon us and the leaves of the trees are turning various shades of brown and yellow, as they begin to fall on the wet ground.
I’m here looking out the window wondering if it’s time for us, to start shedding some leaves of our own!
What leaves are you going to allow to fall off you before going to the new year! (2022)
We are not talking real leaves here, but see yourselves as a tree and the leaves that are attached to you, are your patterns and behaviours.
Behaviours and patterns are more destructive and harmful than they are loving and helpful.
You may have already worked on these leaves and they may have slowly grown back on tree or have never been worked on changing their colour and allowing them to fall away. In fact, you may not even notice that you have brown leaves before now.
Whilst praying to God asking Him what this months Scripture should be, I was lead to Matthew 5, but in particular the verses below.
Now as you were reading, God may have already highlighted to you, the leaves He wants you to work on that’s completely unrelated to this verse and that is amazing 🙂 hold onto that and ask God to help you and what it is He wants you to do x x x
Before you start reading you may want to find a quiet space, and grab a notebook. As you read this scripture, really think about what your reading, note down any thoughts or feelings that come to your mind.
Once you have done this then read the passage again and note down anything else that you might hear or see.
Scripture:
Love Your Enemies
43-47 “You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that.
I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves.
This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty.
If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.
Reflection:
Now you will have all got a different revelation that will be personal to you. Now reflect and meditate on what you have written, spend time asking God is there anything that you need to do with what you have heard or written.
There may be an instruction or a confirmation, this is personal between you and God.
What spoke out to you?
Did God reveal a past situation that you could have handled better?
Did He confirm that you are doing mighty well in how your respond, or show love to the people in your life who rock your boat ? or drive you insane!
What leaves did God tell you that you need to let fall?
Ohhhhhh how easy is it to love people who are nice? so easy right? God clearly is telling us that we need to love everyone.
He also makes it clear that we should make a point of loving those enemies who give you a hard time- you know the people that you could happily push in the cupboard and lock the door FOREVER and forget they even existed!!!
Obviously, we can not go around locking people in cupboards, so we have to learn how to deal with and respond within ourselves. One way God instructs us is for us to pray for them instead 🙂 a challenge for me a time, I’ll be honest!
I for one have struggled to manage my emotions and responses to those who PUSH, ANNOY and PROVOKE me.
However, God wants us to give them our best, just as He does to us when we upset Him.
Emotional Responses are the leaves that I will be shedding this Autumn! I am sharing my leaves with you so that you know we are in this together and none of us has it all together, we are all working progress in the journey with Christ!
Now go back and meditate on this scripture and ask yourself: where have you been fighting in your own strength? Ask him to reveal this to you. Remember you have to be still and present to hear from God. Don’t forget to write down what you are hearing and seeing.
Action:
ACTION: I can not go around clicking my fingers at people when they stress me out! or walk around moaning about them. Instead I am going to pray for them and ask God to help me through, as well as speaking this scripture so that it comes to life. All whilst taking the deepest breath ever!!!!
Reminding myself that I need to be more Christ like and not to allow others to bring out the worst in me.
I am in control of my mouth, actions and feelings. Remembering that feelings are temporary and will leave, therefore taking the time out to insure that responses are not made in the heat of the moment or out of my feelings as this leads to regret.
Easier said than done, but that where we are lucky because we have a helpful God that will help us with the changes as long as we invite him to our lives and situations.
LE FAMILY ACTIONS:
It would be lovely to hear what leaves you will dropping this Autumn, please email in so we can partner in prayer with you.
Prayer:
Please feel free to pray your own prayer as you feel lead to do so.
Father, thank you for being an amazing dad. You love to correct us and show us that we can be better and kinder to the people in our lives and the way we are living,
We come to you fafaithfully, as we are know that you will help to guide and shape us in the areas that need change.
We understand that you are not looking for perfection, but you love to see your children growing and listening to your commands being tbe best people we can be.
Thank Father for your endless love that covers us all, even with our mess of crazy behaviours and attitudes.
Emotions are so hard to control at the best of times, even more so when we are trying to love the unloveable or those who hurt, annoy or betray us.
Loving our enemies is no easy task, Lord We pray for your partnership with the changes you have shown us that we need to make.
Father we lean on you as we shed our leaves, we ask that you walk with us daily and remind us to walk in love always no matter how we are feeling.
To remind us of who we are in you and who you called us to be. Thank you Jesus for loving us, fill us with your love and joy, and keep us in perfect peace as we pour love onto those who may not love us.
In Jesus name. Amen!
If you are not yet a born again Christian or filled with the Holy Spirit but would like to find out more please email in or attend your local church.
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Look forward to being with you next month.
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Republished with permission from Blogs.crossmap.com, featuring inspiring Bible verses about October Script-Time: Shed the leaves 🍁🍂🍁.
