Dry Seasons

Does it feel as though it has been a long time since you heard from the Lord? Does he seem to be silent while the fulfillment of his promises he once spoke to you remain nowhere in sight? Perhaps you started out full of faith, believing God when he told you, “I am going to deliver you. I am going to use your life for my glory.” When he first spoke these promises, they were the joy of your heart and the strength of your days. But now, in the midst of God’s silence, you wonder what happened to his word to you.

Rest assured that we all have such seasons in our walk with the Lord. Even one of the psalmists said, “Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David: his seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before Me. It shall be established forever like the moon, even like the faithful witness in the sky” (Psalm 89:35-37).

He was recounting words from the very mouth of God — an incredible promise given to King David regarding the establishment of his throne and the enduring reign that would result. However, the psalmist then lamented: “But You have cast off and abhorred, you have been furious with Your anointed. You have renounced the covenant of Your servant; You have profaned his crown by casting it to the ground” (89:38-39).

In that day, as the psalmist looked at the state of his nation, all he could see was Israel’s demise, so what happened to the promise God had given to David? You may feel the same at times. Why does everything seem to be crumbling? Has God withdrawn His hand?

We humans have a tendency to see with only our natural eyes. Oftentimes, however, we perceive our situation incorrectly. In those seasons, we must learn to stay strong. The things God has spoken to you will come to pass, but on His timetable, not yours. Say with the psalmist David today, “As for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God,’ My times are in Your hand” (Psalm 31:14-15).

Carter Conlon joined the pastoral staff of Times Square Church in 1994 at the invitation of the founding pastor, David Wilkerson, and was appointed Senior Pastor in 2001.