Drought

Drought…something I didn’t think I’d find when I moved to North Carolina (I am really sorry if I brought it with me and this whole mess has been my fault). It has been a long time since it has rained. I talked to a woman the other day who was afraid she wouldn’t be able to take a bath if it didn’t rain. Droughts are painful. We are all affected by it. I remember when there was a huge fine if you got caught washing your car. We had to ration our water. Many of us would even look up at the sky, pumping our fists, “RAIN for crying out loud!!”

How often do we feel like we’re in a drought in our relationships with God? Is God lacking? Is He simply not there? Where is He? Why is He so far away when in such need of His refreshing reign? Is it healthy to wonder these things? Is it ok to pump your fist in the air and cry out?
I struggle with Psalms…there are times in my life where I feel like God walks away for a time…leaving me in a drought. Yes I know what you’re thinking. He didn’t walk away…I did. You’re probably right. Here is where I struggle with psalms…Psalm 13. Go read it…

Psalm 13
1 How long, O LORD ? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?
3 Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;
4 my enemy will say, "I have overcome him," and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me.

Many of us were thinking it but Billy came out and said it, “God we need the rain.” It had been a long time since any real water had touched our soil. Brothers and Sisters from Texas and Oklahoma…you remember these prayers? I don’t think any of us ever really thought that it would never rain again. We just wanted it…because we needed it.

Back to Psalm 13…and my drought. Verses five and six are where we need to make sure our focus needs to be. “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me.” Even though I feel like droughts happen often in my relationship with God, I will trust in His unfailing love. I will rejoice in His salvation. When the rains come…lets go outside, lift our hands up, and soak it all in. For we have an Almighty God! How beautiful is His Reign!