Ever Feel Out of Your Element?
Our fall has been very unusual. I would like to believe God was being kind to us giving us a lovely September. Our summer in northern Minnesota was just not as it should have been. As September came to a close our delayed, cool and rainy fall weather, quite suddenly
made its appearance. We experienced high temperatures in the 50’s and the lows in the lower and mid 20’s. We were suddenly smacked with degrees that were well below the normal for the time of the year. A portion of the fall foliage began to drain of its green color but curiously enough, many leaves began to fall even before they had completely turned to their fall color.
Typically, my back woods--where I walk Elsa--is by now covered with a golden carpet of the
fallen poplar leaves. They often hang bright gold on the trees until the autumn winds blow them off. Reminding me of when I lived in the mountains in New Mexico. The huge poplar leaves would glisten and shake in the wind like huge golden coins against the almost white bark of the trees. A most beautiful sight!
All of this to say, that as I was walking my Elsa one morning, as I came up from the small ravine and walked past a larger ‘swamp’ spruce tree, something caught my attention. Stepping backward and looking down I see this tiny, stunted white ox eyed daisy in full bloom, all
surrounded by these half turned, greenish and gold poplar leaves. How odd, for all of the other fall flowers were not only frozen, but drying up and have gone to seed weeks ago. But here is this determined little flower in full bloom and looking so out of its element. The freezing morning temperatures have not deterred this little flower a bit as it is determined to carry out its cycle here on our little “forty” no matter what. It is rather stunted at only about one quarter of its normally intended size and not quite as stunning as the summer daisies, but in full-bloom nonetheless.
This has caused me to think of the many times that I have felt quite a bit like that little flower, blooming out of my element! Could this be what Paul is referring to when he says that God uses the foolish thin
gs of this earth to confound the wise?
1 Corinthians 1:27 (NLT)
"Instead, God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose those who are powerless to shame those who are powerful."
When things do not make sense, it could be from a business venture, a ministry you have been called to or just when God calls you to do something that is totally uncomfortable because you have never attempted it before, yet it flourishes. How can that be? You might not have a clue where to start.
I remember the day I was asked to pray about working at KBHW Radio. I walked into main control and saw all of that ‘stuff’, reels, buttons, knobs and such and I said there is no way that I could ever be capable of doing what would be required to operate this radio signal. But, I did agree to pray about it. Well, here I am almost 20 years later more involved with radio than ever before.
In these difficult days we are all facing, I want to encourage you to keep on keeping on! It could be that you feel somewhat stunted in your efforts, or you have been set back because of circumstance. If you are operating in God’s will, (and we know when we are) He will expect us to prevail to accomplish the purpose to which He has called us. I really try to live by these two verses in Philippians 3:
“Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Do not let the temperature prevent you from flourishing. Winters come and it can get pretty cold out there. Bundle up and bloom for someone needs to see what God is up to in your life. It may seem foolish to some but when God is at the helm, you are living out the calling He has placed upon you, not for your sake but for His!
