Tuesday, April 28, 2009

"Dry" Spells

"The LORD will guide you continually,
giving you water when you are dry
and restoring your strength.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like an ever-flowing spring." Isaiah 58:11 NLT

Have you ever run through a "dry" spell in your faith? Those times when you feel that you've experienced all you can experience or God just doesn't seem real anymore? We all do. The world is full of people that, when times are good and things are going their way, they slip into a pattern that doesn't acknowledge God at all. But the moment something bad happens--BAM--they are all over God, blaming Him for everything that ever went wrong or is going wrong, with their lives. They get angry at Him and make statements like, "Well, if this is what happens when God is in my life, I don't need it!" or "I knew it! God is just a big bully up there in Heaven, getting His jollies off by screwing with my life!"

To be honest, yesterday as I was sitting with Jordan in his hospital room and trying to process what his diabetic journey is going to mean to him and our family, I got angry. Maybe not to the extent to what those statements above went to, but I guess I felt a little betrayed by God. Here is Jordan, just starting out on life and he gets hit with this life changing event. Yes, it's controlable but it still isn't nice. LORD, we're good people, constantly trying to do Your will, serving Your people and YOU allow this to happen. How could You!?

I'm not proud of those feeling but they are all apart of the human cycle of emotional grief. I was grieving for my son and the challenge ahead of him. I was grieving for what I couldn't protect him from. But then the Lord showed me this verse, "giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength." I felt He was telling me that He understood what I was going through. After all, He is a father too. But He has not and will not ever leave me or our family. There is some purpose for this new journey and He will be with us all the way--restoring us with His words, spirit and support people He will, and has brought, into our lives.

When you are experiencing your "dry" spell, how do you respond? Do you blame God and turn your back to Him, or use this opportunity to dig deeper into His word for strength and knowledge? Do you get on your knees and pray for wisdom and lay your situation on His altar for Him to take care of or do you shun Him and handle it yourself?

"Dry" spells happen to everyone--how you handle them is the key. Turn to God, not away. If you do, your life will once again "be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring." Only it will be better and stronger than ever before!

"See, I have written your name on the palms of My hands." Isaiah 49:16 NLT

1 comment:

  1. Dear Pastor Eric
    As I have said before I feel like a well watered garden when read your blog. Living here in Mariposa has been an excursion for me these 16 years. Being away from people has been hard. There have been times all I could do is cry out "Oh! Lord" where do I go but to thee. I am praying for Jordan and your family . I pray God will show Himself large in your lives.
    God bless
    Merlin

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