We all have seasons when nothing we touch flourishes, when everything we touch dries up. In those seasons, the fruit of our talent and labour appears to be barren. In those seasons, we are like Manoah’s wife “…barren and childless, ‘but’” (Judges 13:2–3). But, God would have us know that a “but” is soon following our barren winters.
Until God speaks, the waves and the wind in an attempt to intimidate, can beat their chest, huff and puff and threaten to sink our boats in order to burglarise (Jeremiah 29:11) the dream that God placed in our hearts. But at God’s voice, the very wind and object that tried to drown us and kidnap our dream will run out of breath and not only fade, but ex post facto to the fury of the tempest, we will find that the tempest in its huffing and puffing, served only to propel us into our destiny.
The season between the sentence and before the “coma” and “but” is a very important season. It is in that season that we may believe the enemy is winning, but when we arrive to the finish line, we will conceive that our win was planned all along. Just as Samson’s mother was told not to drink or eat anything unclean in her season (Judges 13:4), we will find our season of barrenness was but training and consecration for our next level blessing.
Soon there will be a ridiculous contrast in our disposition. The very thing that we thought was destroying us, will bring us into a laughing spell over the goodness and faithfulness of God. Out of our barrenness will be the birth of joy and laughter, that we will not be able to contain to ourselves, but as with Sarah, everyone who hears of our miracle and triumph will laugh uncontrollably with us; in great joy over God’s power (Genesis 21:6). God is about to appear in our situation, and when He appears, the “coma” and the “but” will appear too.
Take heart and know that there is a “but” at the end of your troubles. Our dreams will be fulfilled because no good thing will God withhold from us and His word will not fall to the ground. He swears this by Himself for there is no one higher to swear to, but to Him (Isaiah 55:1; Hebrews 6:13).
Get ready! For the one who shut up the seas behind doors (Job 38:8) is about to speak to our situation and when He speaks, the tempest that dared to beat its chest at us, will run out of breath and fade away. Get ready! For just as the Lord did for Samson’s parents, God is about to blow our minds and do amazing things while we watch in awe (Judges 13:19).
©Katie Mliswa and MomentsbyKatie.M, 2018.
