Been Letting Those Leaves Pile up?

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.  –Proverbs 3:5, 6

As the leaves fall from the trees we have a decision to make: do we rake them up a little at a time as they fall, or do we wait until they are all on the ground and then rake them up?  Either approach can be justified, but I honestly believe the best strategy is to keep them raked a little at a time, thus saving a seriously large task once they are all on the ground.  Trying to rake all those leaves at one time can certainly look like an overwhelming job and a person could easily become discouraged and frustrated.  Perhaps that’s why people sometimes simply don’t rake their leaves, but let them lay there until they dry up or become mulch.  A man once told me that he never raked his leaves as he believed it was better for his yard that way, what with the leaves turning to mulch and all.  To me, that sounds suspiciously like a guy just trying to justify not raking his leaves.

The Word of God tells us to trust in the Lord and do not lean on our own understanding.  That is a faith principle intended to be practiced every day.  If we only try to lean on the Lord when everything is going well, then we are not taking this Biblical practice to heart.  Should we fail to trust the Lord each day, through all situations, and no matter what is happening in our lives, then we will be like the yard where the leaves have begun to pile up.  Looking at all of those unresolved issues and situations can look most overwhelming. That is why as followers of Christ we do well to trust the Lord with all our problems all of the time.  Otherwise, everything we face begins to pile up in our lives, which can produce frustration, lack of focus, and that terrible feeling of being overwhelmed. 

Whatever you are facing today let me remind you that the Lord knows, cares, and understands.  Do not try to solve the problem on your own understanding, but rather trust the Lord and seek His wisdom.  Christ has a wonderful way of coming alongside us in our time of need and giving us the assurance that He will work it all out; to His glory and our benefit. 

Stop worrying, do not fret, let go of those feelings of being overwhelmed and frustrated.  The Lord is with you, and He is greater than any problem we will ever face.  Rejoice in the Lord, claim His peace, and move forward in faith.  There is peace of mind for the troubled soul in Jesus Christ.