As I look out my window I am amazed at how quickly the landscape has changed in just a couple of weeks. It feels like only days ago that there were mere signs of Fall around and now suddenly, Summer has vanished and there's no mistake that we are in the next season. I love Fall but here in the Northeast, Falls stays only for a very short time while Winter holds on for what feels like forever!
We can look at seasons that have come and gone both in the natural world around us and also in our own personal lives. The Word of God tells us that there is a time and season for everything, there is a seed-time and harvest and we are to bear fruit in season. There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens. Ecclesiastes 3:1 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. Genesis 8:22 Of those who don't walk in the counsel of the wicked but delight themselves in the Lord & meditate on His Word day and night, Psalms 3 says this: That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers. Psalm 1:1-3. We all want to prosper! We all want to have fruitful lives. In order to bear fruit, it is important to meditate on the Word of God. Isaiah 55:11 likens His Word to the rain and snow that come down and water the earth. What the rain and snow do for the earth, watering it and bringing forth the budding of branches, God's Word does for your soul! It does not return void or empty but it accomplishes the purpose for which God sent it. Unlike the trees that I can see out my window now, Psalm 1:3 says Whose leaf does not wither and whatever they do prospers. God desires that we have fruit that does not wither but remains. John 15:16. He longs to cultivate not just a little fruit here and there. He wants an entire harvest! A harvest always begins with a seed. The seed you plant and nurture is what will grow. If I plant tomato seeds in my garden, I am not going to get corn. I am going to get tomatoes. The young plants must be tenderely cultivated. They must be watered. (The word) and they need lots of sunshone (Son) to grow. We must be very careful what seeds we allow to be planted in our lives. We must also stay grafted into the vine, Jesus. John 15. He is our life source. Without being connected to Him, we will wither. Apart from Him, we won't bear fruit in our lives We won't have that "everything they do prospers" from Psalm 1. . "Apart from Me, you can do nothing".
Let's face it, some seasons are more enjoyable than others. Going through the Fall season, where the days getting shorter, I am reminded how some seasons are darker than others. Some seasons are brighter than others. Some seasons are much more enjoyable than others. Perhaps like me, you may be in a season that isn't very enjoyable. Some seasons are also noticeable much more difficult than others. I believe God wants us to bear fruit in every season of our lives. In His Kingdom, absolutely nothing is wasted. Everything serves a purpose when we trust in Him. Knowing that there is a time and season for everything under heaven, including the seasons in our personal lives, we must also realize that when we feel like the tree with barren branches, God is still doing a work in you or desiring to do a work in you, even when you can't see it. There is life within, but it may not be visible. That dream may look completely dead but yet, there is still life! Being one who loves gardening, I can think of countless times where I have almost thrown out a plant that was brown and withered. I thought it had died only to find that if I pruned it, repotted it, and gave it the right food, it wasn't long at all before I saw evidence of new life.
Have you ever feel like giving up or throwing in the towel? Do you feel like you are in a dark season or in your dark night of the soul? Do you feel like your life is barren and fruitless? The season you are in no matter how long it seems to be, will not last forever. There is an ebb and flow to life, a cycle that God has put into place. But, how long the difficult season lasts often depends on how deeply we surrender to Him. He is the master gardener - John 15. We must stay grafted into Him and often we need to be pruned of things that will stunt or rob us of our growth. God is more concerned with your growth than He is your gifting or calling. Your gifting and calling are important but your character, you being made into the image of Christ, your personal walk, and your relationship with Him are the most important. You are an image-bearer. You will reflect who you hang around. James 1:4 says it this way: Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, sot hat you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking nothing. We must trust God in the process.
It is so important to stay rooted in Him. He can't be moved and when you are rooted in Him, neither can you be moved!
The current season of my own life is an extremely difficult one. It is not particularly fun. It has been a season that involves of betrayal, shame, disappointment, uncertainty, and having to trust completely in Him, not on my own strength. Instead of asking "Why Lord?" "Why did this happen to me?" I asked, "What do you want to be for me in this season?" "Who do you want to be for me?" This is how He responds: He is my Ishi (Hosea 2). He is alluring me, speaking tenderly to me and giving me back my vinyards and making the door of trouble a door of hope. He is my Shepherd (Psalm 23:1). He is my Shepherd (Psalm 23). He is leading me beside still waters, restoring my soul, and leading me in paths of righteousness. He is my refuge and my strength. Psalm 46, my rock, my deliverer, my strength in whom I trust, Psalm 91 and He is the one whom my soul loves, Song of Solomon 3:4. I challenge you to ask the same. "Lord, what do you want to be for me right where I am, right now?"
It's far too easy to focus on the darkness of the season. It's tempting to dwell on the difficulties, and disappointments but instead, let's dwell on His character and on His goodness, delighting ourselves in Him in spite of the circumstances. Let's meditate on His Word, letting it water our soul and renew our minds! Let's stay rooted and grafted into Him. Trust the pruning process. What seems like barrenness will be cultivated into a great fruitful and productive harvest producing many times what you had before!
Isaiah 54
1 “Sing, O barren one, who did not bear;
break forth into singing and cry aloud,
you who have not been in labor!
For the children of the desolate one will be more
then the children of her who is married,” says the Lord.
2 Enlarge the place of your tent,
and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out;
do not hold back; lengthen your cords
and strengthen your stakes.
3 For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left,
and your offspring will possess the nations
and will people the desolate cities.
4 Fear not, for you will not be ashamed;
be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced;
for you will forget the shame of your youth,
and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.
5 For your Maker is your husband,
the Lord of hosts is his name;
and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,
the God of the whole earth he is called.
11 O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted,
behold, I will set your stones in antimony,
and lay your foundations with sapphires.[b]
12 I will make your pinnacles of agate,[c]
your gates of carbuncles,[d]
and all your wall of precious stones.
13 All your children shall be taught by the Lord,
and great shall be the peace of your children.
14 In righteousness you shall be established;
you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;
and from terror, for it shall not come near you.
It's time to break out of disappointment! Break out on every side!
I am... learning to live authentically!!
Kari Jobe Your Nature: The following is a link to the song. It is awesome and if you need a reminder of His character and nature, I pray it will minister to you and bless you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfjgbGCAxnk
Comments