Have you ever experienced a drought? Living in Texas and North Carolina, I became used to our towns putting in place water limitations because of drought-like conditions. Hot and dry is not my favorite feeling! If you’ve read any American History books (or even Little House on the Prairie), you’ll understand how devastating droughts were to early Americans trying to build new and thriving communities.
Drought and bountiful are words that don’t go together.
Droughts aren’t just in the physical realm, however. Sometimes, the droughts that come from life’s hard trials are even more devastating than brown grass and shower curfews.
Have you been there? Have you had times in your life that felt drought-like? I know that I have!
Times, when we weren’t sure how we would make it to the next paycheck, caused my fear to grow and my faith to dry right out. Children who were making poor life choices caused me to fret instead of gushing over with wet tears of supplication to God. Broken relationships, job loss, miscarriages, misunderstandings, and mistakes… all the (un)fertile soil of a dried-up spirit.
It’s easy to wallow in self-pity when I’m amid a drought. The problem with that self-pity is that no one comes to my pity party. There I am, alone with my empty cup of parched hopes and expectations.
How about you? Is there some circumstance that has trapped you beside an empty well of spiritual drought? Are living through a spiritually dry season right now? Do your circumstances make it impossible to see any fruit in your life? Trust me, you’re not alone! We all go through periods like that.
Thankfully, God doesn’t leave us to sit alone, fretting over our circumstances and feeling as though we’re useless to everyone. He reminds us that regardless of how we feel about our present situation, He can still use us for His glory. The prophet Jeremiah understood the discouragement of drought-living, and through him, God gives us the answer to our dilemma and the reminder that we need to keep our eyes open for sweet Godly fruit.
Jeremiah 17:7–8
Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD and whose trust is the LORD. He will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.
Aren’t you glad that God, through His prophet, gives us the antidote for the fear and anxiety of living in drought?
This antidote is found in verse 7. Although I think we’d all agree that we need to trust the Lord in hard times, the prophet goes a step further than basic trust. In fact, God Himself is to be our trust. In other words, we aren’t simply trusting God to help us get through whatever circumstance we face; we are actually trusting God to be God. We are handing all of our fears and anxieties to God and affirming that only He has the perfect plan for our situation. We are acknowledging that He is all that we need or desire. He truly is our all-in-all.
When we can have God as our trust, regardless of what is going on in our lives, we will be refreshed and still thriving. (Verse 8) In a time when others expect to see us downcast and discouraged, we will continuously bear the sweet fruit that can only be produced by and through our God.
Are you having trouble identifying lovely fruit in your life? First, ask yourself this question. Is God my trust? If not, spend time praying and asking Him to show you how to realign your thinking with the truth of His Word. When discouragement comes, remind yourself of WHO God is and WHAT He can produce in your life. Secondly, sometimes, we need our spouse or a close friend to affirm us. Ask someone to help you recognize any good fruit that is being produced in your life. (Please don’t ask a Debbie Downer!!!) Thank them, and thank God for what they share with you. Then, return the favor and encourage them by sharing the fruit that is evident in their lives. I promise you’ll walk away refreshed.
Drought-living is no way to go through life. Trust in the Lord, but more importantly, trust the Lord. He can turn your dry season into a fruitful season that honors Him.
Megan Scheibner 