Originally published Monday, 15 June 2015.
www.insideoutwithcourtnaye.org
Sometimes in our Christian lives, there will be dry seasons. It’s that time when God seems really quiet or pretty far away. Have you ever felt that way? Or it can also be that time when you feel like your devotional time or “church going” experience is not as exciting as it used to be. It’s when you begin to think and say, “What’s happening with me?” Or “Where is God right now in my life?”
A lot of times, the dry season is called the “wilderness”. It’s that low place…that dry, dusty place where you feel like you’ve been placed on the shelf, forgotten, alone, or that your prayers are simply hitting the ceiling going nowhere. It’s also that feeling when you’re not on the mountain top shouting, “YAY! Everything’s great where I’m standing!” Instead, it’s “Oh my goodness, what is God doing in my life at this moment?” Yet, I will tell you that even though being in that place is emotionally rough, you can get through it.
One of the keys to getting through the dry season is to praise Him in advance and don't grumble or start complaining (if you have, repent today). Philippians 2:14 says, "Do everything without complaining and arguing..." (NLT-with the power of the Holy Spirit, He will help you to do this…and me too!) The reason being is because God despises complaining. It’s noise to His ears. Think about a complaining argumentative child or person. YUCK! And remember what happened with the Israelites on the way to the promise land. Majority of them did not go into the promise land because of their mouths among other things. Let’s learn from them.
So instead, renew your mind and get excited about what He is doing in your life (even if you don’t understand). Also, thank Him for all that He has already done and for what He is going to do in your future. The Bible tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “Give thanks in all things, for this is the will of God concerning you in Christ Jesus.” So, go on and pick out some praise songs, turn it up loud, and praise Him!
Try fasting and praying also. This is a good way to press in to hear from God through His Spirit and through His direct Word. No doubt, sometimes He IS quiet, but that doesn’t mean that He’s not there. His Word says that “He will never leave you, nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:8) It’s in the dry season, when you need to remember it and believe it as you press deeper into your devotional time with Him.
Also, surround yourself with the Word, positive people, and encourage yourself in the Lord during your dry season. And keep your faith up! Don’t start doubting God, wavering in your faith, or getting depressed because things are not going the way you think it should go. The Bible tells us that Abraham did not waver when he was waiting on the promise of God to come to pass.
Romans 4:19-21 says, “And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead-and so was Sarah’s womb. Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God was able to do whatever he promises.” (NLT) GUESS WHAT? They had a son! And they named him Isaac. Hallelujah! The promise came to pass! This should bring great hope and continued FAITH to you!
I know some of these suggestions may seem strange when you’re in that season, but it looks good in God’s eyes, because it shows that you trust Him. It’s in the dry season when He’s trying to grow us up so we’ll be ready for the next thing that He’s trying to do in our lives. This is the season when He’s purging, cleansing, cultivating character, preparing, and changing us to reflect the image of His Son. This is when He’s teaching us things that we may not be able to see clearly now, but later on, we’ll be crying praises because we finally see what He was ACTUALLY doing.
So no matter how dry things get in this season, keep your faith growing stronger. And I shall do the same! ;-) Because guess what? Seasons DO change…so get through it!
Remember, Jesus is coming back soon! And those who endure unto the end shall be saved. So let’s be ready from the Inside Out!
~Courtnaye
*Here’s a good book that I want to recommend to you to grab if you’re in this season. It’s called, “Victory in the Wilderness: Growing Strong in Dry Times” by John Bevere. Awesome author and book!
Thanks for reading this post! I hope and pray that you’ve been enlightened. If you have any comments or questions feel free to leave it here or email me @ insideoutwithcourtnaye@gmail.com, and I’ll get back with you promptly. Also, if this post and ministry has blessed your life, please consider making a donation of any amount today to help me further the gospel and provide more helpful resources @ http://www.insideoutwithcourtnaye.org/.
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