When thinking of the seasons of our lives, some seem longer than others. I heard the first sentence of the word below and thought, what else could God possibly say about the seasons in our lives? The answer is – Always More. He does immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine. The Lord reveals four areas we can become discouraged in and bids us simply not to. Be not discouraged with:
- Our progress in the Lord
- The look of an unchanging circumstance
- How man might judge our walk
- God’s methods and timing to refine others
When all is prepared, then suddenly our season will change and we will be ready to partake of the delights of the new.
How long your season has been. As you look back it seems years that you’ve been in the same place, facing the same struggles. Yet, My love, I tell you that you have gained ground for I have refined you on the inside. Do not judge your development in Me with your position in the natural, for when you are ready I will release you suddenly through new platforms of outpouring and promotion to reach new audiences. For is this not your very heart – to pour Me out to others.
Where before you sought Me for My hand to solve your own issues, now you seek Me to use you to pour out onto others. This shift, though almost imperceptible to you, I see clearly. I have changed and molded your heart to pour out to Me in worship and praise. You find here all of your desires met, for you are willing to offer Me each one and let Me replace with My presence.
My presence always overflows, it is as a tide that cannot be held back. As My vessel lets Me pour into it, I overflow onto all around it. You now desire to worship Me, serve Me, and fill yourself with Me with all your strength and might – you desire Me. As My children draw near to Me, I draw near to them. I will not disappoint. I will not leave a willing vessel empty. Keep your eyes focused on Me, for I Am moving in your life where you cannot see.
Be not discouraged at your own seeming slowness to cast all onto Me, for each time a fleshly desire surfaces and a struggle occurs offer it to Me. I do not judge the struggle, I delight in your offering to Me as you continue to cry out for more of Me and less of you.
Be not discouraged at the seeming unchanging circumstance that surrounds you – for when I have readied you will I not move you and bring you into a new land even in a day. The door only needs to open and you are ushered in, for I Am preparing you in the secret place.
Mediate on My word and call to remembrance the “suddenlys”: When I gave My Holy Spirit at Pentecost. When David was anointed as king, suddenly the proclamation and anointing came one day when he went out to tend the sheep and set his foot in the fields he was responsible for tending; yet, in that day word came that I had need of him. Study My “suddenlys” for I will suddenly move upon your own life at just the right time. I orchestrate around you where you cannot see.
Be not discouraged over the jeers, looks, words of discouragement from man. Do they see your heart, do they see the great and detailed work I do behind the scenes deep within you? I know man’s heart. In this learn not to judge others. Be not discouraged at even the timing in others’ refinement processes. As you look at them and think this one should be doing this or that – know you not their times and seasons, you do as I told Peter – leave John’s life and times to Me, you just follow Me.
Be gracious and merciful to all, for you do not know where I am in their refinement stage – be not a source of discouragement but one of speaking life and building up each one you encounter, for you do not know when I will raise up each of My vessels and the methods I use for refinement. Each one I mold in a different way. But all for the same goal – to know Me, be used by Me, and to accomplish the purpose for which I made them.
My love, My word over you is gentleness and love. I have you at such a time as this nearing the end of a long season and readying you to move into your next. The winter is coming to an end and spring is coming upon you. Rejoice in Me.
- “The third time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ He said, ‘Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.’ Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, ‘Follow me!’ Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, ‘Lord, who is going to betray you?’) When Peter saw him, he asked, ‘Lord, what about him?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.’” John 21:17-22
- “Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. He said to them, ‘Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.’” Genesis 37:5-7
- “The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Do not be afraid of them, because by this time tomorrow I will hand all of them, slain, over to Israel. You are to hamstring their horses and burn their chariots.’ So Joshua and his whole army came against them suddenly at the Waters of Merom and attacked them, and the Lord gave them into the hand of Israel. They defeated them and pursued them all the way to Greater Sidon, to Misrephoth Maim, and to the Valley of Mizpah on the east, until no survivors were left.” Joshua 11:6-8
- “They plot injustice and say, ‘We have devised a perfect plan!’ Surely the human mind and heart are cunning. But God will shoot them with his arrows; they will suddenly be struck down. He will turn their own tongues against them and bring them to ruin; all who see them will shake their heads in scorn. All people will fear; they will proclaim the works of God and ponder what he has done. The righteous will rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him; all the upright in heart will glory in him!” Psalm 64:6-10