Is Worship Seasonal?
"[A]nd the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful." (Mark 4:19)
Not too long ago, I spent time in prayer. It felt as if I was hitting a brick wall. I complained, "God, I feel so dry!" I thought about the Scriptures in Ezekiel about the dry bones, and I wondered, "Is there any life here today?"
Suddenly, the Lord spoke to my heart. "Is worship seasonal?" He asked.
My mind quickly returned to the previous week and a conversation with a friend. We talked about how sometimes it seems easy to pray and worship, and sometimes it looks like toil and labor. She asked me a question: "Do you think those times are seasonal?"
"Yes, I suppose they are," I responded.
When God asked me the same question days later, I knew I had given the wrong answer. When I hesitated to answer God's question, He continued to speak to my heart. "Is rain seasonal?" He asked. I continued to listen while He continued to speak: "If you didn't have rain for an entire season, what would you have?"
I answered, "A drought."
Drought: When Worship Is Seasonal
A drought is a moisture deficiency that adversely impacts people, animals, or vegetation. It also causes significant imbalance.
I was feeling dryness or a drought, which I had convinced myself was seasonal. But what I was really feeling was imbalance. The truth is there would be no drought if there was rain. Rain, as we know from Scripture, comes with worship. (Photo via Rawpixel)
"And should any of the families of the earth not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of Hosts, then the rain will not fall on them." (Zechariah 14:17)
Drought affects everything. Nothing grows or yields what it is supposed to produce in a dry season.
A couple of years ago, we had a drought in our area. It affected everything that was planted. We had very few strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. We had little produce. It even affected the hay in our area for an entire season.
What Causes Spiritual Drought?
Thinking back on these things, I began asking God how I arrived at this dry place, especially when I seek Him daily. He spoke one sentence to me: "The cares of this world."
Mark 4:19 says, "And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful."
The word cares is defined as a "distraction," and it means "to divide" (Strong's G3308; G3307). To "choke" is "to suffocate" (Strong's 4846) and to "hinder the growth, development, or activity of" (Merriam-Webster). And the word unfruitful implies that it is not yielding what it ought to yield.
Therefore, when distractions come, they divide our focus. We become out of balance. If not dealt with, distractions eventually suffocate and hinder the growth of the Word we have sown. The result is that the Word will not produce or yield what it should.
Distractions. It seems this entire year has been filled with distractions. Until recently, I didn't clearly see their purpose, which is to divide. You know that old saying, "divide and conquer"? That is what the enemy means to do. Because he knows while my mind is stayed upon God, I will have perfect peace—shalom (Strong's H7965)—nothing broken and nothing missing. But when I am divided, there is no peace. (Photo via Freerange Stock)
Are You Feeling a Bit Dry Today?
So, what now? I command the distractions to go until I have become refreshed in Him, and, even more than that, until I have ministered adequately to Him.
I know we all have distractions and cares of this world, but we can't allow them to take our minds off God. We can't allow them to choke the Word of God that we have sown in our hearts and cause it to become unfruitful. We must keep our eyes on Him, and He will ensure everything else works out.
Are you feeling a bit dry today? Then stop what you are doing and spend time worshiping God. Remember, He said that if you come up to worship Him, abundant rain shall be upon you. Let the rain come through your times of worship! God will then cause the Word sown in your heart to become fruitful, yielding precisely what it is supposed to yield.
I am reminded of 2 Chronicles 26:5, which says, "... as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper."
This word was accurate then, and it remains true today. As long as we seek the Lord, He will cause us to prosper in our soul, mind, emotions, finances, health, and families; it's a promise from a God who cannot lie. Don't allow the cares of this world to stop the rain of God from flowing in your life. Seek God, and let it rain!
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Kim Potter
A New Thing Ministries
Email:Â Kim@anewthingministries.com
Website:Â www.anewthingministries.com
Kim Potter is the founder of A New Thing Ministries, which sends a daily teaching to over 10,000 people all around the world. Her articles have appeared on The Elijah List, Charisma, Spirit Fuel and iBelieve.com. Kim's message is one of hope. She speaks to the heart of those who have grown discouraged and disappointed by the circumstances of life and imparts the desire and ability to stand against all odds; to stand for victory. She encourages people to press into God and discover that He is who He says He is.
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