Author’s note: This is week one of a four week series
Have you ever experienced a dry season in life? I define a dry season as any period where it just seems like very few things appear to be going right, and your connection with God starts to wane. If you’ve experienced such a season, or perhaps are in one right now, you are far from alone. In fact, I would surmise that everyone goes through a dry season at some point in their life. It may be a calamitous event: job loss, relationship issues, medical problems, loss of a friend or loved one, financial stress, or any number of issues. Because it’s so likely that all of us will encounter such a season at some point in our lives I want to spend the next four weeks looking at ways to not just survive, but to thrive in the dry seasons of our lives.
I take my inspiration for this series from the life of the prophet Elijah as laid out in 1 Kings 17-18. Elijah was called to be a prophet during a time of moral and spiritual collapse in Israel. Many people had ceased to follow God, or had begun “hedging their bets” by worshiping many different gods. The King of Israel was so desperate to placate a variety of gods that he married his son off to the high priestess of Baal. In the midst of this God makes Elijah the bearer of the bad news:
Elijah the Tishbite said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” And the word of the Lord came to him: “Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.” 1 Kings 17:1-3
It struck me that Elijah, and everyone else who heard this message, had exactly two choices: they could put their faith in God to carry them through, or they could choose not to. To phrase it like Jedi Master Yoda: “trust or trust not, there is no try.” The King, Queen, and many Israelites chose to not trust in God, turning to other gods and their own intuition to try and save themselves. Now, while most of us don’t turn to other gods when things are difficult, I’m not sure we can always say that we truly trust in God (I know I haven’t always). Yet, that is really the ONE option we have when the drought hits us in life. We need to choose to run after the God who created us, who saved us, and who sustains us by the Spirit. We need to trust in his Word, wrap ourselves in His love for us, and remember his unceasing gift of salvation. When the drought hits your life are you ready to put your full trust in God?
