Clearing Out Dead Wood
When people start trimming bushes and trees you know “spring has sprung.” All winter I’ve been aching to clean out a mass of overgrown deadfalls and broken branches at the back of our property. Recently I asked my brother, Barry, to help me do this. Because he is more adept at tree trimming than I am, I was delighted when he agreed to help.
What I imagined taking all day took only one hour to accomplish. After he went home, I sat in our sunroom admiring all the cut limbs and deadfalls we threw in the woods at the back of our lot. While many would see this as messy, I saw it as future “rabbitat” –habitat for rabbits and birds that nature would create as the vines from the woods envelop these piled trees and branches.
Looking out back, I felt God speak to my heart about a deeper symbolism here—clearing out “mental dead wood!” Paul, in the Bible, explains, “forgetting what lies behind and straining for what lies ahead, I press on…”(Philippians 3:13) We live in such a chaotic time with so many issues clouding our minds (and not coincidentally, a time when suicide rates are climbing dramatically!). A close friend and fellow veteran shared recently that after resisting the need to talk with someone about his PTSD, he finally called a counselor and agreed it was the best move he made in years! With a master’s degree in counseling, I know sometimes what you need is a counselor to objectively listen to you, and provide feedback to help clear out the mental deadfalls.
While it’s not easy for a man to acknowledge that he wants some help, I strongly suggest that if you want to clear the past clutter away (so you are prepared to experience all God has for you in the future) do the same. Some people say that you must be crazy to see a counselor. I say that you’re crazy not to seek counseling when it can be so helpful! And after all, Jesus, every “man’s man”, is the Wonderful Counselor. A godly counselor can be “Jesus with skin on” and a real lifesaver. If you’d like to talk about this further, I’d love to chat with you. Email me at info@yourrefreshedlife.com. Let’s clear out the dead wood today!
