Our spiritual lives are a lot like the weather patterns. Times when the Spirit reigns in us and showers our souls with grace, love and power. –When the Great Eternal Power overwhelms us with sweet fellowship Other times, when we are in a drought, our souls are so parched that we struggle to remember what His reign was like. It’s as if our spiritual Hard drive has been deleted! As I write this the Spirit is telling me- “this is life! Expect seasons of both extremes. ” Now, if you are anything like me, you welcome the sweet reign of Jesus but would like to skip the drought. Now, I must make a clarification. This state of affairs we find ourselves in is Not what God intended. When sin entered our garden it brought the extremes with it. So, how do we handle the extremes of life and the soul? With Consistency. We must not become attached to the highs or lows, but see every circumstance through Christ and His word.
Here are a few verses to support my claim.
Philippians 4 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
1 Thessalonians 5 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Philippians 4 4Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 5Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. 6Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 23 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
I have often thought about this statement- I shall not want. How do we reconcile this verse when our soul is so parched and our heart is broken. I believe it is in the knowing that The Lord is My Shepherd. Knowing in our hearts that whatever comes our way He will use for our good. ( Romans 8:28) We can rest in His Devine care no matter what extreme comes our way. It would be nice if we were like a computer or smart phone. Then we could push a couple buttons and restore ourselves to an earlier time when we were on the mountaintop in stead of the Valley of The Shadow Of Death. Oh, wouldn’t that be nice?! No, we can’t do that but we can bring to remembrance all the good memories of Gods goodness and faithfulness, his love and power. I call this a perspective reboot. Sure, acknowledge that your current situation is very difficult but don’t end there. Like King David, we must always steer our hearts, minds and emotions back to trust and obedience.
Remember this simple but profound song? ” Trust and Obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to Trust and Obey”. Thy Kingdom Come Lord Jesus, Peace. Jonathan
PS. This Streams in The Desert ties in well.
It came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land (1 Kings 17:7).
Week after week, with unfaltering and steadfast spirit, Elijah watched that dwindling brook; often tempted to stagger through unbelief, but refusing to allow his circumstances to come between himself and God. Unbelief sees God through circumstances, as we sometimes see the sun shorn of his rays through smoky air; but faith puts God between itself and circumstances, and looks at them through Him. And so the dwindling brook became a silver thread; and the silver thread stood presently in pools at the foot of the largest boulders; and the pools shrank. The birds fled; the wild creatures of field and forest came no more to drink; the brook was dry. Only then to his patient and unwavering spirit, “the word of the Lord came, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath.” Most of us would have gotten anxious and worn with planning long before that. We should have ceased our songs as soon as the streamlet caroled less musically over its rocky bed; and with harps swinging on the willows, we should have paced to and fro upon the withering grass, lost in pensive thought. And probably, long ere the brook was dry, we should have devised some plan, and asking God’s blessing on it, would have started off elsewhere. God often does extricate us, because His mercy endureth forever; but if we had only waited first to see the unfolding of His plans, we should never have found ourselves landed in such an inextricable labyrinth; and we should never have been compelled to retrace our steps with so many tears of shame. Wait, patiently wait! –F. B. Meyer
