There was something magical about standing there beneath the canopy of bright green leaves. They were so vivid, so green. Green is a very positive color for a leaf; the green pigment in the leaves, chlorophyll, absorbs sunlight and uses it to make food. Those green leaves will very soon turn gold and brown as they react to a steady decline in sunlight.

We, like leaves, need light to sustain us. We need sunlight but more importantly, God’s light. Without His light, we fall into sin, we start to change, and eventually, we die. The leaf doesn’t die immediately from lack of light. Instead it turns a beautiful golden color for a time before it falls and begins to decay.

Over the last several months, certain parts of my life had lost their green-ness as I’ve been met with loss, emptiness, and darkness. God’s light never left me, but rather I had temporarily lost the ability to convert that light into something fruitful that I could use for food.

For a season, I guess you could say certain parts of me had turned shades of green gold and golden brown, but God, being the God He is, didn’t let me die. He let me change colors a bit; He even let me fall, but the beautiful thing about God is this: when we make the choice to seek His face even in our despair, He will catch us before we hit the ground.

We could all learn a thing or two from green leaves. It’s not enough to merely absorb light but instead, use it. We must take that light and convert it into something that will nourish us from the inside out. What does this look like for Christians today? Go beyond attending a church to becoming a part of the church that is right for you. Don’t just listen to a sermon, but apply it. Don’t make your prayer life only about telling God what you want from Him, but also listening to what He wants from you in return. Don’t waste today dwelling on yesterday or worrying about tomorrow. Don’t merely exist in a moment, but learn to immerse yourself in it.

I hope these beautiful leaves inspired you as much as they did me. What parts of your life have lost their green? God’s saying today, He hasn’t left you; He’s just waiting for you to do your part, to receive His light and put it into use.

As the beautiful green leaves begin to change colors this autumn, I’ll be reminded of this moment. I’ll be reminded that because of God’s light, I can make the choice to produce green leaves and experience moments like this all year long.