Some of you are living in a spiritual drought. It seems God has abandoned you when looking at your circumstances. In desperation you cry out for God to reveal Himself, to show Himself mighty on your behalf, to speak reminding you He is there and that He cares. You have prayed this for days, months, and for some even longer. What is hard is that for some of you the desired breakthrough has not come.
You continue in this spiritual drought. It is not because you do not spend time reading the Bible, praying earnestly, or going to church ravenously hungry for a fresh experience with God. You do all those things but you remain in a drought.
Take heart. In times of drought the roots go deeper searching for water. Your spiritual roots are going deeper and getting stronger.
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence indeed is the Lord. He will be like a tree planted by water; it sends its roots out toward a stream, it doesn't fear when the heat comes, and its foliage remains green. It will not worry in a year of drought or cease producing fruit." [Jer 17:7-8]
So in your drought God has not ceased working. Your roots are growing deeper in Him and though you may not be aware of it the foliage of your life remains green with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self control.
Your life is still standing and inspiring others because you still trust in God though you cannot make sense of your circumstances. You go to worship in a drought but you still sing from the depths of your soul even though there is pain in the praise offering. You still cry out to God in prayer though the answer has not come. You still get up and face the storms of the day without giving up or giving in.
You may be in a drought but your leaves can still be green. When the heat of your circumstances beat down on you and others wilt you can still produce fruit as your roots go deeper and deeper in God. Then no matter how long the drought lasts you can endure.
I know the frustration of living in a drought and knowing sovereign God holds the power to send rain of refreshing into your life and yet He withholds it. Satan can use this to plant seeds of anger, bitterness, and doubt in your mind. Faith wilts, your foliage begins to turn brown and your attitude sours.
Keep trusting. Keeping placing your confidence in God and the truth of His word no matter how long the drought lasts. The rains will come again. You will experience seasons of refreshing again, if not in this life then in eternity.
My heart is heavy this morning. Last night while out of town at a basketball game I talked with a man I met while preaching a revival in that town. In the course of our conversation he told me his doctor just found out he has inoperable cancer. My heart sunk. What amazed me is that he told me this horrific news with a smile on his face. His roots are deep. I have prayed for fervently today. He is in a drought. His leaves are still green and he is still bearing fruit. So can you. Sink those roots deeper into God and His word to find water.
You continue in this spiritual drought. It is not because you do not spend time reading the Bible, praying earnestly, or going to church ravenously hungry for a fresh experience with God. You do all those things but you remain in a drought.
Take heart. In times of drought the roots go deeper searching for water. Your spiritual roots are going deeper and getting stronger.
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence indeed is the Lord. He will be like a tree planted by water; it sends its roots out toward a stream, it doesn't fear when the heat comes, and its foliage remains green. It will not worry in a year of drought or cease producing fruit." [Jer 17:7-8]
So in your drought God has not ceased working. Your roots are growing deeper in Him and though you may not be aware of it the foliage of your life remains green with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self control.
Your life is still standing and inspiring others because you still trust in God though you cannot make sense of your circumstances. You go to worship in a drought but you still sing from the depths of your soul even though there is pain in the praise offering. You still cry out to God in prayer though the answer has not come. You still get up and face the storms of the day without giving up or giving in.
You may be in a drought but your leaves can still be green. When the heat of your circumstances beat down on you and others wilt you can still produce fruit as your roots go deeper and deeper in God. Then no matter how long the drought lasts you can endure.
I know the frustration of living in a drought and knowing sovereign God holds the power to send rain of refreshing into your life and yet He withholds it. Satan can use this to plant seeds of anger, bitterness, and doubt in your mind. Faith wilts, your foliage begins to turn brown and your attitude sours.
Keep trusting. Keeping placing your confidence in God and the truth of His word no matter how long the drought lasts. The rains will come again. You will experience seasons of refreshing again, if not in this life then in eternity.
My heart is heavy this morning. Last night while out of town at a basketball game I talked with a man I met while preaching a revival in that town. In the course of our conversation he told me his doctor just found out he has inoperable cancer. My heart sunk. What amazed me is that he told me this horrific news with a smile on his face. His roots are deep. I have prayed for fervently today. He is in a drought. His leaves are still green and he is still bearing fruit. So can you. Sink those roots deeper into God and His word to find water.
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