It is a blessing to wake up and recognize that you are in a dry place in your life. I believe it's a blessing because so many of us sit sleepily in the proverbial desert dirt without understanding: a. how we got there, b. why we are there and c. when we should leave. Without understanding the purpose of a desert season, we whither in the hot sun instead of flourishing right where we are.
King David often comes to mind when I think about being in and out of dry seasons. In Psalm 22 (a Psalm I hadn't typically read in depth), David allowed the thoughts of his desert heart to be heard. #whathappenedinthedesertdidntstayinthedesert.
David leaned into his arid wasteland of fear and despair withholding nothing from us. In so doing, he modeled how important it is to acknowledge where we currently are if we want to move to another place. What I am beginning to appreciate about David is that his awareness of his desert situation, however seemingly bleak, did not preclude him from dreaming about his coming Oasis in Psalm 23 (a Psalm I love to study).
Tweet this: It is OK to give voice to both where you are and where you want to be.
Remember Jesus' most significant desert experience? Our Lord and Master was deliberately led by Holy Spirit into the dry harsh desert for 40 days of fasting without human companionship. (read what happened in Luke 4). The wilderness seemed an odd place to go after the exaltation and affirmation of baptism amongst family and friends right? But it was a crucial journey.
As Jesus battled the devil through physical hunger and thirst, He used the Word of God and the strength of Holy Spirit to fight the ultimate ministerial battle in the spiritual realm. When our Leader and King emerged from the desert, He lacked nothing His ministry needed. Not only that, He periodically returned to the wilderness to pray and spend time with our Father (see Luke 5:16).
It took strategically placed desert experiences to accomplish that.
Tweet this: You need Holy Spirit and a desert experience to prepare you for your ministry.
The desert has a purpose and thankfully, so does an Oasis. God will have Oasis experiences set aside to refresh you as you labor for Him. Both David and Jesus experienced times of spiritual renewal, strategically inserted along their path to provision and replenish them. Both were given the support necessary, at just the right times, to fulfill their purpose; so shall you.
Tweet this: God has an Oasis experience prepared for you. But you must walk out of the desert to get there.
Beloved, as beautiful and as restful as Oases are, they aren't permanent. Recognize them for what they are and receive what provisions you need but don't get stuck there. Just like our desert experience, our Oasis experience has a purpose and a limit.
Tweet this: For God's Kingdom work to be done we must keep moving.
Move by faith, in prayer with praise but, move. Step by step, whether we walk side by side with Holy Spirit or He carries us, we must travel to both deserts and Oases to fulfill our purpose.
Many blessings and much love! Sylvia Songs: "Rain on Us" by Earnest Pugh ;
Example of Arise Artists Healing Art
