Embracing Lean Times
“But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose trust is in him.” – Jeremiah 17:7
Have you ever wondered at what point a trial becomes so difficult that you decide you can no longer trust God and the problem must be solved on your own? The prophet Jeremiah describes a situation in which the temptation to solve a financial problem can be so great that we rely on man’s way to solve it.
This is what the Lord says: “Cursed is he who trusts in man, who trusts in the flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from God. He will be like a bush in the wasteland; he will not see it when prosperity comes. He will dwell in the dry places of the desert, in the land of salt where no one lives. But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the waters and planted by the stream. It spreads its roots and is not afraid when the heat comes; its leaves are always green, and it does not worry in the dry season, and it never eats fruit” (Jeremiah 17:5-8).
Jeremiah draws a sharp comparison between the man who relies on his own effort to solve his problem and the man who trusts God when he cannot see the outcome. A person who trusts in God bears fruit in his life despite the circumstances. It does not shrink when it gets hot; In fact, its roots go deep in the grace of God. He continues to bear fruit despite his circumstances.
Recently, a friend from South Africa explained to me that whenever a plant lives in a dry climate, the roots go deeper into the soil to get the water they need. This forces the plant to develop a root system that is much larger than a normal plant because it is forced to go deeper to get the water it needs. Sometimes God forces us to go deeper into the grace of His love to build a greater foundation in our lives. These lean times are designed to accomplish this in us. If you find yourself in this situation, pray to the God who provides water to our souls for the grace you need to continue bearing fruit in the desert today.
