Seasonal Rains

"If you follow My decrees and are careful to obey My commands, I will send you the seasonal rains." Leviticus 26:3-4a

Chatting with a friend last night I know she's waiting for God's "seasonal rains". It's been more than a few months now that her field has been dry. Not barrenness in relationship with God. She's good. But barrenness in results. Pouring out her all and seeing little yield, she longs to know abundance from her obedience. After all, isn't that what God promises here? She'd love any rain, if only a light shower for a short season.

My heart aches for her. I want to see God open the gates of heaven and pour out blessings. It's disappointing, when to our knowledge, we are following the Lord yet the apparent scarceness of fruit from our obedience has us discouraged. 

I think we've all been there. We've followed the Lord with the hope of seeing a particular outcome, but the expectation isn't fulfilled. We were so certain that God would provide with a harvest, but it didn't happen. Some might say, "Obviously intentions were wrong. They were only pursuing the Lord for what He would do in the end." Although that can be true, I don't believe we can attach that to all decisions. I know many motives can be genuine. The steps taken have been a direct submission to a prompting from the Lord, yet the aftermath has been unforeseen and disappointing.

To add to the heartache, "seasonal rains" seem to be falling all around, just not on us. Why is God apparently choosing to bless others while we're giving all our strength to keeping His commands with nothing changing? Feelings of rejection and failure begin to surface and if not arrested quickly can lead to a path of despair. Comparison can be deadly. Opening our computers, we watch as others are successful in the very area our longings go unfulfilled. We might not want to acknowledge or admit it, but we can be jealous over another's victory.

So, what do we do? Collapsing in defeat won't get us anywhere, but I am in favour of a good cry. We have to take time to sit with our pain, we just can't let it linger. We must not allow it to become a lifestyle. Remember our story isn't over yet. Those accomplishing great things sooner had fewer chapters. God isn't writing a short novel with us. It's going to be a classic, best seller and page-turner. We haven't been forgotten. 

"Be assured that I will send My blessing for you in the sixth year, so the land will produce a crop large enough for three years. When you plant your fields in the eighth year, you will still be eating from the large crop of the sixth year. In fact, you will still be eating from that large crop when the new crop is harvested in the ninth year." (Leviticus 25:21-22)

Never let an apparent drought determine the outcome of your obedience. God is working in the soil of your suffering. He is going to come in abundance! Rains are promised and your season is getting closer. In faith, grab your umbrella today and look up!