I love autumn. Summer is so bright and intense, I wake up feeling obligated to go somewhere and do something. People are always asking, “What are your plans for the summer?” There is pressure to have an exciting destination in your back pocket, but the truth is, I just want to eat lots of peaches, watch some good summer flicks, and hang out at the beach in my flip flops.
Fall is more my style. It gets darker sooner, and everything slows down. It’s the perfect time to be outside too, if you ask me. Take hiking. There’s a lot less dust, and it’s quieter, except for the sound of a crunchy trail blanketed with falling leaves. It’s hard to beat.
I wish I felt the same about my worries. I wish they would slow down right along with nature. All the things I juggle around in my head are like plates I keep spinning, and they wear on my heart and keep my soul busy.
If only I could shed them the way the trees shed their leaves. If only I could let one fall.
We weren’t designed to keep everything in play all the time. Something got broken in us when Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden. We stopped trusting that God was good and that we were the apple of His eye. Now, we’re suspicious of letting go and letting God take us through the natural course of things.
Of course, if we were to change the subject and talk about laundry, my problem with letting go dissipates. My husband probably wishes otherwise, but I’m good at not sweating the small stuff. I like to worry about big problems. I get such a great mental workout from organizing unresolved questions and playing out different scenarios. However, I recently started to get tired of keeping up with all the activity, trying to work everything out to its optimal outcome. I even noticed I stopped laughing at my own jokes.
Even in matters of faith, especially when it comes to pleasing God, we can put so much pressure on ourselves to live fruitful lives. We forget that fruitfulness comes from allowing God to work in us through our circumstances — not from our ability to effectively make everything work out right.
There comes a time when God brings us all into an autumn season. Where there was once fervor and activity, He calls us to let go and slow down. He doesn’t quiet our lives because we’ve done something bad. God does it to release us from the burden of keeping things alive that really should be dying.
It’s in my nature to hold onto my problems, relationships, and ideals so that I can work them out on my own. But God in His abounding love says to me, There are necessary endings, Bonnie. Let the plates fall. They need to break. Let Me take care of you.
Intense pressure might work well to achieve a difficult goal. It may even be necessary if we are thrown headlong into a crisis or involuntarily trapped in a stressful relationship. But it can only last for so long before it leaves us weighed down and overloaded.
Sometimes we put so much pressure on ourselves to live fruitful lives that we lose faith and end up collapsing under the pressure.
God’s idea of a purposeful life is so different from ours. He wants us to trust Him so completely that we would risk letting go and place ourselves willingly in the uncomfortable position of surrender.
When we can trust Him with our endings, we discover He can carry us. We see the beauty of leaves falling and understand we can experience this beauty in our souls. We learn to recognize the voice of Love that calls to us behind the shattering of plates falling, and we know God can sustain us.
When our worries spin out of control, let’s not be worried about letting the plates fall. They can fall and break, and God’s love still holds us together.
I am Thine, O Lord,
I have heard Thy Voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
and be closer drawn to Thee.
“I Am Thine, O Lord” (Fanny Crosby)
Bonnie, How wonderful to see a post from you. What plates do I need to let fall? Oh boy! With all the craziness happening in this country… that is affecting so many…I think I have a service for 24 spinning madly away. Getting totally freaked out over the violence which I hate and other things too numerous to mention but do affect my loved ones….I guess I had to come to the point of just coming to a grinding stop myself and hiding behind God while the plates all shatter. In my mind, I put myself behind God hiding from the ugliness that only He can handle. Just like a little kid that hids behind their parents. It’s the only place to feel safe. It is a stark reminder that this is NOT our world. Our world is with Jesus and we must remember we are citizens of Heaven, not of this earth anymore. I love reading your posts, Bonnie. They are a soothing balm that I think we all need.
Thank you so much, Christine! What a treasure it is to hear what’s on your heart – and the safe place and balm you’re finding in God’s arms. beautiful!
Thank you Bonnie. This was a much needed message for me today. Your sentiment of feeling the pressure to live a fruitful life is so true. What a wonderful reminder to let the plates fall.
Sweet Grace, what a beautiful name you have — and how beautiful the words spoke to you. Thank you for sharing your heart, sister! may you feel lifted up today. xo
Bonnie,
I love how your words, here, and in your books invite my heart, in such a loving way, to let the plates fall. I need to be a “human-being” because I wasn’t designed to be a “human-doing.” Thank you for the invitation to make like a tree in fall and let the leaves, with which I burden myself, fall away.
Blessings,
Bev xx
love that – human-being — ! may your poetic heart feel the peace of this day, Bev!
I have noticed that with age it is easier to let more things go and for that I am thankful! It is so worth it! So many things that seemed utterly important just aren’t anymore and it is freeing.
I can feel the thankfulness in your spirit made free — in your wisdom and insight, Kathy! thank you for sharing your journey. what a gift to hear from your heart!
Carried.
What a beautiful image to cherish in this season. I also enjoy autumn’s gentle warning. Cold weather and dark days are coming, but there is warm soup, soothing candlelight, and the brightness of family love.
sounds so lovely, Michele!
Perfect!
have a beautiful day, Gail!
Bonnie, you could have been writing my story. I thought I was alone in feeling the pressure of summer, the long, long days of supposedly doing things, going places, yard work, painting, the never ending list of guilt.
Then autumn. As the days are shortened the guilt & pressure fall away, and somehow my list isn’t that important any more. I rest in the slowing down. Blessed relief from myself. Is it any wonder that fall is my favorite season?
Thank you for sharing, and helping me to understand & like myself better as I know I am not the only one who feels this way. God always leads me to Christian writers who calm my spirit & mind. When you make my journal by my copying and pasting, you have indeed been led by God. ❤️
“Blessed relief from myself” – well put! Grace for all but ourselves is definitely not how He calls us to live. May we become deaf to the sound of plates crashing 😉
Sweet Joyce, your beautiful words touched my heart so deeply. Thank you for the gift of sharing how the words spoke to you — and giving us a glimpse into your journey. I especially feel blessed knowing something in my journal — written to you — has a sacred place in your journal. I know it is our loving Savior whispering his love to us kindred spirits! may you have a beautiful day, friend!
Thank you for this, Bonnie! This echoes your Whispers of Rest book and it was a game changer for me!
Thank you for the reminder that while letting spinning plates crash can feel like failure, it can actually free us up to a different kind of work.
Sweet Andrea, you have SO blessed me — to know that Whispers of Rest book has transformed you as the Beloved — as it has for my heart — I am sending you a big hug — from one kindred spirit to another. 🙂 and yes, the “different kind of work” is the journey of the beloved and rest. thank you for sharing here, friend! xo
Thank you for putting words to a key lesson God is teaching me in a very difficult, broken-hearted season. I think I will add this image of letting spinning plates fall to my “art journal for difficult times”
Beautiful Jill, May you feel your brokenness made beautiful by the touch of our loving Savior — even in these words here. Thank you for the gift of sharing how the words spoke to you — and giving us a glimpse into your journey. I especially feel blessed knowing something in my journal — written to you — has a sacred place in your journal. I know it is our loving Savior whispering his love to us kindred spirits! may you have a beautiful day, friend!
Beautifully written and peaceful post. Thank you Bonnie!
What a blessed message
Bonnie,
Your words are always spot on. They hit the core of my being. Love reading your posts. Summer is actually my least favorite season of the year. Love fall & autumn with the brilliant display of colors. This week has taught me to really treasure family & friends. Don’t let little things bother you. I used to keep small plates spinning. Always feeling like I had to keep busy while hubby was at work. Often thinking who needs help, whom can I cook for, etc. For me these past few days have hit home hard. One 9 yr old girl was killed in a drive by shooting in my small county. Yesterday I learned that my in-laws pastor-great man of cloth & good friend died of Covid. Also a co-worker is in hospital with Covid. That changes the landscape of how I think. Now I run to God with tear stained eyes. Nothing else much matters. I know He will carry us through this time. I keep reminding myself of Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you. Psalm 23:4-5 Yea though I walk through the valley of shadow of death I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.
Blessings 🙂
Hey Bonnie, thank you so much for your words of encouragement. I think ‘my plates’ are all the what ifs. Somedays, all the trouble in our country hits me so hard. I find myself thinking of all the bad that has happened and what is still to come. That’s a lot of plates. In Christ, DonnaT