Dying to Live
by Ed Sweeny
It’s my favorite time of year. Yesterday, I started the day in the woods, walking among large oak trees starting to shed their big brown leaves. The sun rose early through the branches and the north breeze rained giant acorns down all around me. A chill descended on the forest at first light…welcome relief after a long, hot summer. For me, the arrival of fall means windows down, Saturday football, and early morning deer hunts. For everyone, it means cooler weather and the holidays just around the corner.
Changing seasons have always fascinated me. Each one has its uniqueness, as it brings newness to the earth just in time. But what about fall and winter? Do they bring new life to the world? Or do they bring death? The warmth of the sun goes away and blasts of cold blow in its place. Fields of green turn gray and become lifeless for months. Leaves turn brown and fall to the ground, only to become mulch on the forest floor. Seeds fall from the branches and are buried deep in the dirt.
Are these harsh conditions really necessary? For God’s earth to function the way it was created, it must be so. Every year, we get to watch it happen over and over again. Leaves die, acorns fall, and the vibrant earth becomes barren for a season. Seeds lie buried and lifeless under layers of dirt and snow for months, waiting patiently for the return of the spring. They are not dead…in fact, they are filled with the potential for life. But they must wait patiently for another change of seasons that will eventually come. For every barren winter, there is hope just beyond the cold darkness. Spring is coming.
The beauty of creation, as it cycles through the seasons, echoes the greatest story ever told. The story of a broken and fallen people, waiting patiently through the coldness of winter for their spring to come. Just as creation waits and longs for the new life of spring, so do God’s people. We all experience seasons of suffering and darkness, where our faith is truly tested. When these seasons come, when winter winds blow cold on your heart and your soul, where is God? This is a great question…one that saints of old have asked throughout all generations.
As our family has walked through a season of suffering, I have been asking this same question myself. But I am learning to make a slight shift and ask it from a different angle. I truly believe that God is right here with us during our darkest days. And if that is true, then he must be up to something. So instead of “Where are you?”, I am learning to ask, “What are you up to Lord? What are you trying to teach me?” With this slight shift in perspective, I am often able to see that God has never left me, but is working all things out for my good. That he is truly present with me in this season of brokenness.
When I am able to take a small step back, away from the emotion of my suffering, I can remind myself of all that I know to be true. That God is good. That God is sovereign. That God created me, and you, and my family. That God has a plan for us. A plan for our good, not for our harm. That he who began a good work will carry it on to completion. Not might…not could…but WILL carry it on to completion. That we can rejoice in our suffering, trusting that it is producing perseverance, character, and hope. That the great news of the Gospel is true. That God will one day wipe away every tear, heal every disease, and make all things new. He will bring beauty from ashes, restore the years the locusts have eaten, and will rebuild the ancient ruins devastated long ago.
Every week, dozens of men meet together all around town in NEXT LEVEL men’s discipleship groups. They meet for fellowship, Bible study, and accountability. Over time, they are building authentic relationships and growing in faith. Each man is in a unique season of his life, and many are suffering deeply with things they can’t understand, control, or fix. In my group this morning, we discussed the Exchanged Life concept- the idea that Christ’s perfect righteousness is fully given to us, and our sin and brokenness is given fully to Jesus. In this great exchange, those who put their faith in him are now seen blameless and righteous by God. The Gospel teaches us that death is necessary for life. Because of his great love for us, Jesus died so that we would have a chance to really live. Not just here on earth, but also with him for eternity.
Truth about God gives me great hope. What we see in God’s creation is also true for his people. He who seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but he who loses his life for Christ’s sake, will find it. The seeds that lie dormant right now are filled with potential for life. God is present with us in the dark and broken places. And God is up to something, even though it often feels like we are buried under the dirt and snow. God’s promises are true, and his mercies never fail. They are new every morning. For those who are dying to live, Spring is coming.