There are physical droughts and spiritual droughts. Likewise, there are physical days of rain and spiritual seasons of rain.
We are just coming out of a season of physical drought. No rain causes many problems. Crops are in despair, financial burdens increase for irrigation, wildfires ravage the earth. The grass is either watered at great cost to keep them green or water is withheld to save money, resulting in brown lawns. Spirits get low in the seasons of drought. Everything seems to suffer.
We have seasons of spiritual drought to. Spiritual drought is what seems like a disconnect with God. Our prayers seem to go no higher than the ceiling above, where they are prayed. Problems seem to be more prevalent in our financial and physical lives. Illness may come. Perhaps we say goodbye to loved ones. So many seasons of drought are possible. We walk endlessly in the desert. We feel the heat bearing down on us. Very little shade in the desert and no rain.
Then the rains come. When they come to end a drought, they are powerful. Everywhere we look, we see green. The streets are flooded. The birds seem to be relieved with the moisture. Early morning, during the breaks in the rain, the birds seem to sing a new song. Flowers bloom with vibrant color. Everything prospers with rain. Everything thrives when the rains come.
Spiritual rains come as our prayers suddenly rise above the ceiling. We see answers. Our faith, that seemed to be waning, brings forth new blooms of color and the fragrance of God is everywhere. He erases the moments of doubt, by letting us see His hand at work in our lives. We have new journal entries of promise to read during future times of waning faith. Our spirit soars.
~Thought For Today~
Our story is our history. Our story will encourage our children to keep walking forward with Jesus. Whether they are in seasons of drought or rain, they will make it. Why? Because they will have your story as proof that survival is possible. Yes, your story. That one that seemed full of wrong turns, desparate times, bumps and curves. It is the story about your life and your God, who did not leave or abandon you. How you bloomed with God at your side whether in the drought of the deserts of life or when the rains came. The stories of those days of drought and the day the blessings poured over you like rain from heaven, are meant to be shared. Save your story. Write it down for those who follow you. Begin…It had been a long season of drought and then God stepped into my desert experience…
~Scripture For Today~
James 5:17-18
17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit. (NASB)
~Prayer For Today~
Hello Father! We praise Your holy name! We praise You whether we are standing in the heat of a dry, desert experience or we are standing in the blessings of rain. We pray that we are willing to be witnesses to those who are in similar desert experiences. Give us voice to speak of Your love for us. Talk about the day when the rain came. When Your answers poured over us. Forgive us of our sins. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
©2015 Kathy Ledbetter. All Rights Reserved.