Season Of Manure

God's Hand is always involved in our fertilization

Season of Manure

I have been very transparent when it comes to my faith walk. My heart is to share my journey as it unfolds and the lessons learned along the way.

The past few weeks have been trying and exasperating. As the saying goes, “When it rains it pours”, it feels like we are in the eye of the storm of torrential rain.

Faith is an essential component in the Christian life that is often difficult to cultivate and grow to maturity on our own.

Romans 4:17 (NIV) Faith calls those things that be not as though they were.

I have learned that there is nothing quite so hard for Christians as calling those things that be not as though they were.

 Webster’s definition of faith: firm belief in something for which there is no proof (2): complete trust

The Biblical Definition of Faith: 

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen Hebrews 11:1(KJV).

This is probably the most concise definition of faith found in the Bible. It is considered the classical definition of faith. Faith is both the substance of things hoped for and the evidence that things exist that are not yet perceived with the senses.

What happens when our faith is uncultivated, immature or perhaps we even have a lack of faith?

Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Jesus told a story of a “fruitless tree” in Luke 13:6-9 (AMP)  And He told them this parable: A certain man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it, but did not find [any]. 7 So he said to the vinedresser, See here! For these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and I find none. Cut it down! Why should it continue also to use up the ground [to [a]deplete the soil, intercept the sun, and take up room]? 8 But he replied to him, Leave it alone, sir, [just] this one more year, till I dig around it and put manure [on the soil]. 9 Then perhaps it will bear fruit after this; but if not, you can cut it down and out.

So during this storm we are in, I feel as if I have no faith.  I am the tree that bears no fruit. I seem to be consumed, surrounded by thoughts of the injustices that have attempted to destroy the fruit of faith of my family and friends.

After spending time in the secret place with the Lord, he revealed a part of the scripture that I had not really grasped before. Verse 8 But he replied to him, Leave it alone, sir, [just] this one more year, till I dig around it and put manure [on the soil]. The key word the Lord highlighted to me was manure!

My first though seething with frustration was, “Oh yea, Lord I am up to my eyeballs in manure.” He then gave me a vision of a farmer standing in a field of what looked to be a dying crop. I saw another man talking to the farmer and pointing to a large dump truck filled with what I thought was soil. The Lord showed me I was wrong, it was manure. Excrement of livestock mixed with straw or bedding, it was if I had an elevated sense of smell at that moment. The scent was musty and foul.

The farmer and the man diligently disbursed the manure throughout the field, within moments the crops began to burst forth and become healthy, developed plants that started to bear fruit.

Just then, revelation! I realized what the Lord was saying to me. There are times when our faith is immature and underdeveloped. The Lord will allow circumstances and situations that activate our faith, stretch it if you will. The circumstances, storms, frustration you are facing right now may very well be fertilizer to grow your faith.  In my case, the issues at hand I know can only be set right by God. I must allow Him to use these particular conditions as manure to grow my faith. Because ultimately, He will work ALL things together for good according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28 We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.

My trust is in you Lord, my hope is in you Lord! I will declare things that are not as though they ALREADY are!

Blessings,

Julie