If you are a farmer (which most of us are not) you would know that you need early rain (in the Fall) and late rain (in the Spring) for your crops to grow.
Now, I am obviously not a farmer, but I'd imagine that between the rains, during all that waiting, you'd have to have a little faith.
Faith that more rain would come in the Spring.....faith that the Fall rains were enough.
But between the rains, there isn't anything.
Have you ever been in a place with God where you feel like He's present, like He's leading you, like He's always there? Well, if so, we'll call that the rain. Have you been there? Where He simply pours down on you? It's a beautiful place to be.
But that rain never seems to last forever.
My Bible study group has been working through Beth Moore's James' study over the past couple months, and today's session just struck a cord with me. She talked about being between the rains.
I feel like I was in the rain recently. I could sense Him. I knew He was leading. I knew what He wanted me to do. And suddenly, without warning, the rain just stopped.
Now, there simply has to be faith.
Isn't it interesting that crops can't grow in constant rain? The rain has to cease for growth to occur.
We're the same way. We can't grow in our faith if we know the Lord is constantly raining down on us. There simply isn't any faith in that. We have to know that the rain He poured on us was enough and most importantly, that it'll come again.
The Lord very clearly led us into foster care, into ministry, into many things, and now He seems to be silent.
In my biggest struggles with foster care, He was silent. Not gone. Just simply waiting. Waiting for me to believe Him. Waiting for me to grow. Waiting for me to change.
And right in between the rains, I changed. Something in me switched. And I think we're both changing now. Waiting for Him to move again. Waiting for the rain one more time. Knowing that it will come. But in the meantime, changing by faith and faith alone.
Are you between the rains? In the rain? Waiting for the rain?
It will come again. It's between the rains when we truly bloom.
.....day 270 of a year of writing.....
Gosh,week seven hit me hard too! I feel we have been in between the rains, just waiting and waiting on where we are going, and what God has in store for us and all the mess with David's job. But I feel that over the last few weeks, it is starting to sprinkle a bit--with his lay-off. It is weird but I knew something big was gonna happen and God was going to lead us...(I am not very patient) and I felt God whispered its not ready yet...be patient, and was silent. Then all of the sudden, it is starting to sprinkle and God is showing us bits at a time. It is scary and exciting all at the same time, waiting and having faith in God. I just keep telling him hurry up! LOL
ReplyDeleteI have to keep reminding myself everyday Jeremiah 29:11:
"For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans to prosper you, not to harm you, but to give you a hope and a future."
Funny thing I was watching week 3 with my Monday Night bible study it was all about James 1:2-3 and it says "Consider it Joy my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." During the whole time I am watching Miss Beth, I am feeling that God is speaking to me, you will get through all of this, I am here with you. Then the next day at your house, Miss Beth talks about between the rains. I feel lately every time I turn around some way God is starting to whisper to me.
Just my two cents! :)
Love you girly!