I'm a tree?

I was out in my rose garden this afternoon cutting back old, dying growth from my roses so that I could cover them so they would make it through the winter. As I was cutting back the old dying growth and the growth that had died last winter a quote came to my head.

"To those with ears to hear, and eyes to see, there will be very great release from unbearable burdens in the language of autumn trees, for example, when they dress most gloriously in preparation for death. The red of the leaves is the sign of the cross. Winter follows, when snow closes everything in frozen silence. The trees then are skeletons, but wonders are being performed under the surface of things. Spring comes, and the hidden wonders burst out all at once -- tiny shoots, swelling buds, touches of green and red where all seemed hopeless the day before. ... If the leaves had not let go to fall and wither, if the tree had not consented to be a skeleton for many months, there would be no new life rising, no bud, no flower, no fruit, no seed, no new generation."

~From a letter written to Elisabeth Elliot

How true! Is it not? God often shows us things in our lives that have to "fall and wither" but we don't see how it could possible help or why we need to let go in the first place. But if our hands, (the branches) are so full of worldly things (leaves) how can God give us things that we truly should treasure, namely Him (the new life)?! There are times in our lives when we feel that God keeps taking things from us and we feel empty and alone (a skeleton) but "wonders are being performed under the surface of things" if we let God work. If we harden our hearts and don't trust that God's way is best, how can we grow to be more like Him? How can wonders be performed under the surface? If we trust God, take Him at His word, at His timing and His way, (not ours) He will fill us with His joy and give us the things He knows will bring us true joy, happiness and contentment in Him (the new buds)! So when you feel like God seems to be taking things from you and you just can't see why, trust, consent to be a skeleton! There are also times in our lives that we try to carry burdens that we cannot carry apart from Him. What are the burdens? They could be anything: desires, trials, worries, troubles, wants, uncertainty, not knowing what lies ahead. When we try to carry them ourselves there is only one thing we can do: fail. We cannot carry any kind of burden ourselves. We must hand it to God, we must let it go, to fall into the hands of our Saviour! Only by Him and His strength can we make it through the trials and burdens that He brings into our lives. God works all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28)! So if God is showing you things that need to fall or He is gently telling you to let Him take your burdens, don't be scared, let go! God's ways are always best, you will never regret letting go!