Recently I removed all of the dead vines from the sugar pea crop we planted in early spring. They are dried up and no longer producing fruit. Why? Because they are out of season. The weather and atmosphere is no longer conducive to their bearing fruit. In years past, we have had sugar peas through June. However, this year, with temperatures of 90-100 degrees beginning in May, the plants could not hold up under the heat.Have you ever felt that your life was out of season? Have you felt like you missed God’s timing? I have.
There have been times in my life when I would not let go of something…a relationship, a ministry, a position, title, work. All of those things were “in season” at one time. They were gifts or callings God had put in my life. They were blessed by Him and were part of His will.
But there came a day when He said to let go. It was God’s best at one time, but then was time to move on to move forward into the new season. That is often because our assignment in that place or in that role has been completed.
He uses each season to prepare us for what is ahead. He uses each gift for a purpose. He knows the timing of our lives and of His will and His plan. And if we remain beyond His call, the fruit of our lives can begin to grow sour, rot or shrivel up and die. And often when this happens, we wonder what went wrong.
Why does this happen? Why does the fruit not remain? Why does our work lose the freshness it once had? If the work is God’s call AND God’s timing, it will remain fresh. But if it is seasonal and has accomplished its purpose, then God wants us to move forward to the next work He has prepared for us.
We have a tendency to cling to what we know. We are either comfortable, or we are afraid of the unknown.
He constantly is changing us and our circumstances so that we can grow and mature. However, He, Himself, never changes. He does not have to grow. He “is.” And He is perfect. We are the ones in the process of “becoming.” God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8). But earthly life is constantly changing. Those things that do not change and grow are mostly dead. He is wanting to teach, stretch us, grow us into maturity and into more abundant life (John 10:10). He knows what it will take to prepare us for eternity. And staying where we are, doing the same thing, the same way, and becoming complacent and safe is rarely God's plan. There are times when He keeps us in a place in order to build endurance and perseverance.
I must add here that if we give up on something before God says to, then we can abort the work and it never comes to fruition. There is a great danger in starting a good work God has ordained and then stopping along the way. Please know that just because something becomes difficult, challenging, or uncomfortable does not mean that God wants it to end. That may be the very situation or condition that will bring about growth and fruitfulness. Finishing strong is important and critical to doing God’s will.
The question is not how long do we stay with something. But the entire point is that God directs our lives and the timing of our lives as well. We do not. We are not all-knowing; God omniscient and knows all things. We do not have the master plan; He is the master planning and the one who created the plan for our lives. We do not have the answers; He does. We do not see the future; He IS the future because He is eternal and not limited by time or space.
If we seek to direct our lives according to our own desires and plans, we will easily become “out of season” and the works of our lives will dry up.
Seek God. Seek His plan alone. Diligently desire the timing of His will as well. His plans for you are for good and not for evil. They are for a future and a hope Jeremiah 29:11). Surrender to His love and goodness, and allow Him to direct your life. Then you will be instant in season and constantly bearing good fruit.
