It is that time of year! Anticipation begins to mount once we hear the forecast from the groundhog. We listen a bit closer to the weather report, we download The Weather Channel app to our Smartphone or iPad as we await confirmation of the arrival of warmer temperatures.
Spring just makes people a little happier as we say goodbye to Old Man Winter. Flowers begin to bud, grass turns lush green and life seems to return to the landscape surrounding us.
This concept is very true in our individual lives. We all experience these various seasons in our individual lives. It is impossible to think that we can only exist in one particular season year round. Yet, the most abundant season of harvest remains dependent upon fall and winter. It is during this season of rest where the vegetation has the ability to regain vital nutrients which will produce its harvest when the season changes.
When we don’t allow the season to run its natural course, and we rush the season, we create or experience greater problems when the season does finally change. For example, Virginia had a very mild winter in 2011. When spring of 2012 finally came, we had an overabundant population of mosquitoes. We all enjoyed the mild winter as we didn’t have to bundle up as much as normal, and we were able to wear our shorts and flip-flops early on; however, it became impossible to enjoy the outdoors without insect repellant, fans and Tiki torches blazing- not for summer entertainment- but out of necessity.
You and I are often this way when it comes to the seasons we walk through in our lives or ministry. We enjoy the summer season when everything in our life and ministry is operating at full capacity. We are able to see the fruit of our labors. But if we rush the season, our harvest can be diminished and our full potential never realized.
Perhaps the weather we are currently experiencing represents your life. It seems as if Old Man Winter wants to stay around and not allow spring to come forth. No matter how much you anticipate and look forward to your new season of life, it seems that the cold, dark and barren winter simply will never leave you or your ministry. God has made several promises to you, but you have not yet seen them fulfilled. You see how God could be working, but you remain unable to make those things happen. You are dependent upon others moving, and it seems they simply will not budge. It seems as if nothing in your life is changing and everything you once were productive at has either died from winter or got frostbitten in the process.
So what do we do when our Springtime Delays?
First, we must remember that GOD LIKES SEASONS. He created four of them: Spring, summer, fall and winter. He has orchestrated when these seasons come and when they go. He knows how much time is needed for each season to rest, and how much time is needed for that season to produce. Ultimately, HE KNOWS WHAT IS BEST and HE REMAINS IN CONTROL OF THE SEASONS.
We must also remember that DELAY IS NOT DENIAL. Just because you are not walking into your Summer Season, it does not mean that you have missed it. It simply means that it is on the way. I am reminded that when Daniel prayed, God sent the response immediately. Michael had to fight through the demonic forces of evil to hand deliver the answer to Daniel’s prayer. Right now, I believe that the angels of heaven are fighting their way through the demonic forces and strongholds that standing between you and your breakthrough. You must realize that God retains ultimate power to overcome the enemy and break through the lines and your answer is night at hand. HE has not said “NO”, HE has simply said “NOT YET”. So, you must keep pressing on.
It is important to encourage ourselves with scripture and be reminded that although our weeping may endure for the night, Joy is coming in the morning. The SON will arise with healing in His wings as HE breaks forth and begins to pierce the darkness with his radiant beams of glory. We must wipe the tears from our eyes and anticipate HIS glory breaking in upon our situation and anticipate the morning. For with the morning comes great JOY! The greater the battle, the sweeter the victory!
Encourage not only yourself, but others going through a similar situation. The word of God says, “Be not weary in well doing, for in due season you SHALL REAP if you do not faint.” Now more than ever, we must be encouragers one to another. We must speak words of faith over our situation and others. We want to not only run the race, but we want to finish well. Do not focus on simply running. Let your focus be upon finishing.
As you know, I am a very large proponent of seeding your atmosphere with worship that builds your faith and assists you on your journey. Perhaps one of my most favorite lyrics is found in “Dance With Me” on the second verse. The line says, “Your winter has past and your springtime has come.” I love to shift the vocals so high because to me, shifting the vocal line exemplifies the shift that takes place when we leave our winter and enter into our springtime and harvest. It is very important to seed your atmosphere with worship that will speak to your situation. Not in a negative way much like country music does. With many country tunes you lose your job, your wife, your car and your dog so why not go get drunk. If you seed your atmosphere with songs that merely describe your situation, you have no authority to change your situation. Somebody once said when you play country music backwards, you get your car back, your wife back and your job back. What lyrics are you sowing into your atmosphere?
I don’t know about you, but I am ready for my springtime to come! I am tired of the fruitful season of my life seemingly die as winter rolls into the picture. David Horton -one of my mentors in worship now gone on to be with the Lord- used to fuss at me and tell me, “You can’t expect harvest year round…..God just doesn’t work like that.”
Just like spring and summer will be arriving shortly, so too the season you are walking through is about to shift. I encourage you to prepare yourself now for that shift whether that be positioning yourself, or repositioning yourself to be ready to spring forth when He sheds His glorious light upon you.
“CHILD YOUR WINTER IS PAST, AND YOUR SPRINGTIME HAS NOW COME!”
From the Desk of Keith Duncan 