Downturn SeasonsTerry Dashner………….Faith Fellowship Church PO Box 1586 Broken Arrow, OK 74013
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under
heaven:” says Ecclesiastes 3:1 (KJV). God gives us natural laws to convey spiritual principles. For example, there is a natural law of seed sowing and harvest. If I plant a seed in ground during right season, I will reap a harvest in due season. This natural principle illustrates a greater spiritual truth: If good is sown, in due season it will produce a good return.
The properties that apply to natural laws may foreshadow spiritual truths also. Again I illustrate. The properties of farming are known by every good farmer. For example, an experienced farmer knows that there are only four seasons in year. Only certain things can be done during a particular season. In winter season, farmer can’t plant seed. The land is fallow. During spring farmer doesn’t go to field, expecting harvest. During spring season ground is turned over and made ready for planting. The farmer has seasons to work in, and they continue throughout his life.
This brings me to crux of this writing. The people of God go through seasons throughout their lives. This is normal, and it is God ordained; however, many become discouraged in their walk with God because they do not understand this truth. If one does not understand seasons of faith, discouragement, even shipwreck, is a real possibility. Let me explain.
If you read life of a Biblical Patriarch, you are inclined to think that his life is marked by a thrill a minute. This is not true. For every Patriarch of Old Testament, as well as every Apostle of New Testament, there are many seasons marked by downturns. For example, Genesis account of Abraham. The Bible says that he was 75 years old when he traveled to land of Palestine. Between his 75th and centennial year, there is a lot of downtime. There are only five to six significant events, worthy of Biblical record in these 25 years; however, when one reads accounts of Abraham’s life and because they follow in tandem, it appears that Abraham is experiencing spiritual apparitions daily. That’s not case. Again, Abraham had seasons of boredom, frustration, carnality, disbelief, and etc.
