Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Day 336 - Let it Rain

"A rainy day at last. It feels like ages since we have had a full day of rain."

Living in Southern California we don't get much rain. I remember as a child we had a huge storm where it rained for three days straight. At the end of the storm we went outside to play and found a huge puddle. We splashed and played for what seemed like hours. My dad even came and played in the puddle with us. He would take his foot and kick the water at us making waves that towered over our heads. We ended our play time with a hot shower to warm back up since we were wet and cold. 

The past few years we have been in drought. A few years ago the trees never dropped their leaves and last year the strawberries never stopped producing fruit. While I enjoyed having fresh year round strawberries I am hating the water restrictions we currently have now. I would much rather have a rainy season. 

Dry seasons in life can be tough. I have experienced times where I was spiritually dried up. Many of you reading know that feeling. You feel like you are in a dark place and wish you could hear God's voice or experience His presence. 

For a year I interned at a church in the San Diego area. I was spending time on the road, money on gas and energy on ministry. The problem was I only gave out and never filled back up. After my savings dried up, my time was all spent and I was spiritually dry I knew something had to change. I found a church service on a Sunday night and sat in the back. The moment the guy on the guitar strummed the first note I was in tears. God ministered to me through those songs and moments with him by myself in the back of that church for a few months while I finished my internship. 

If you are in a dry season then it is time to identify the factors that have dried you up. Mine was from doing ministry but not being ministered to. Receiving was (and is) as important as giving. Maybe for you it is something different. Pray and ask the Holy Soirit what it is and how you can deal with it. It could be forgiving an offense, getting back to church, spending time with God in prayer and study of His word or something else that God reveals to you. Whatever it is be diligent with it and as you do expect God to send the rain! 

Have you ever experienced a dry season in your life? How did you come out of it? 

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