Journeying from Dry to Fertile Places - Monday, October 30, 2023

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8 “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. Joel 2:25

Last week, we focused on dry places or periods in our faith walks that lack activity or productivity. We talked about David who acknowledged his need to look to God even in the wilderness. We noted the 400 silent years between and Old and New Testament and that sin can take us to dry places. We talked about how water grows our faith – looking to God as our power source; seeking Him as our rescuer; and feeding ourselves during dry seasons. This week, we examine turning our dry places into healthy places. We are journeying from dry to fertile.

But first, let’s consider another dry place contributor – circumstances.

Pain, grief, and life issues(as in my case) can contribute to dry spells. Six years ago, our mother died after I served for five years as her primary caregiver. Before she passed, our brother became too ill to work, experiencing more than one life-threatening health crisis. In the midst of assisting him, I coordinated care for our disabled uncle who lived in a nursing home but had several emergencies that required hospitalizations. Our brother’s unexpected passing ten months ago and our uncle’s transitioning seven months later helped transport me to a dry place. Today, I still have days when I wait for another shoe to drop. I expect another disaster around the corner – another illness, another death, more suffering, more pain, more loss.

Yes, I love the Lord. Yes, I am a woman of faith. Yes, I am grateful for my blessings. But even strong believers can have painful periods when they become limited in activity and productivity. For the rest of this week, I’ll share some things that are helping me as I journey from “dry” to “fertile.”

PRAYER: Dear God, I thank you that as I walk with you, I don’t have to remain stationary. Thank you for all the ways you are helping me to move from “dry” to “fertile” in my relationship with you. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen