I came across a social media post that said, “Never judge a person based on a season.” Why? Because God can change a person’s life in the blink of an eye. Just think about it…
In one season Moses was a shepherd, but the next season he led the Israelites out of captivity.
In one season Gideon was hiding grain from the Midianites, but the next season he led the army of 300 men that defeated the Midianites.
In one season Saul was searching for his father’s lost donkeys, but the next season he was anointed to be Israel’s first king.
Now…If you’ve grown up in church, chances are that you know these stories. You have heard them time and time again, but how have you applied them to your own life?
You see, when I read that post about not judging people based on a season, I internalized it…because I am always judging myself.
Have you ever looked at your life and thought that, based on where you were, you weren’t going to reach your promise in the near future?
I have had this thought so many times before. I’ve looked at my current season and thought, “This process is going to take forever.” I’ve looked at my current season and questioned if I would ever see the promise that God has given me. But, if there’s anything I've learned about God, it’s that He moves swiftly.
When it’s time, God moves swiftly.
The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.” (Isaiah 60:22 NIV)
We have to remember that our God is a miracle working God. He isn’t bound by time. He isn’t bound by what we perceive to be fact. He isn’t bound by our individual circumstances. He is sovereign, so while He created the laws of this universe, He is not bound by the laws of this universe. He can do whatever he wants to do whenever he wants to do it.
Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. (Colossians 1:15-16 NLT)
Right now, take a moment to think of how you might be judging yourself in this season of your life…
Does your process seem to be taking way too long? Do you feel like you’re so far from your promise that you may never get there?
I will admit that it’s hard to ignore the facts of life. But, whenever those facts become too big…whenever you start to feel overwhelmed…remember how mighty your God is. He created this earth and everything in it. He created you; he’s prepared your purpose…and at just the right time, he will swiftly lead you there.
Your current season is not evidence of your next season.
It only makes sense to judge ourselves based on where we are now, after all, that’s the way the natural world works. But, our God is a supernatural God. He works behind the scenes… preparing us, and preparing our situation. So, while we must face where we are, we must do so with hope in our hearts.
Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. (Hebrews 11:1 NLT)
God is leading us towards our promise, even when we can’t see it.
I want to take a few moments to discuss the stories of Moses, Gideon, and King Saul one more time, because each of these men were completely caught off guard…
In the book of Exodus, we see that Moses was going about a normal day when a bush caught on fire and the Lord called out him…
One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up. (Exodus 3:1-2 NLT)
And, as we continue to read this story, we see additional evidence that Moses had no idea his life was about to change.
Then the Lord told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live. Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them. Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.” But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:7-11 NLT)
Initially Moses resisted his calling. Why? Because he judged himself. He probably thought he would always be a shepherd, but God had a bigger plan for his life, and He implemented it swiftly…in the blink of an eye.
In the book of Judges, we see that Gideon was hiding from the Midianites when an angel of the Lord appeared…
Then the angel of the Lord came and sat beneath the great tree at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash of the clan of Abiezer. Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites. The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” (Judges 6:11-12 NLT)
Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!” (Judges 6:14 NLT)
Like Moses, Gideon was caught off guard. He had no idea his life was about to change.
“But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!” (Judges 6:15 NLT)
Gideon judged himself just like Moses did. He said that he was from the weakest clan, and he was the least in his entire family. So, why would God choose him? He was not worthy. He was not qualified.
Now…Let's look at the last story. Saul’s reaction to being called, in 1 Samuel, reminds me so much of Giedon’s.
“I am the seer!” Samuel replied. “Go up to the place of worship ahead of me. We will eat there together, and in the morning I’ll tell you what you want to know and send you on your way. And don’t worry about those donkeys that were lost three days ago, for they have been found. And I am here to tell you that you and your family are the focus of all Israel’s hopes.” Saul replied, “But I’m only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe! Why are you talking like this to me?” (1 Samuel 9:19-21 NLT)
Saul, like Gideon, felt unworthy because of where he came from. He thought, how can this be?
....The answer is the power and sovereignty of the Almighty God.
He changed their lives in the blink of an eye…and He will do the same for you.
You’ve been looking at your life in disappointment. You’ve been basing your hope on where you are right now. But, I’m here to tell you that your current season is no match for your God.
Don’t judge yourself based on a season, because God can change your life in the blink of an eye.
When God gets ready to move in your life, it won’t be in a logical way. It won’t happen according to a linear plan that makes sense. No. When God gets ready to move, it will be out of nowhere. It won’t make any sense. You won’t feel worthy. You won’t feel qualified. But none of that matters, because our God is a miracle working God. He makes a way where there seems to be no way. He uses the least to accomplish the great. All because it brings glory to His name…so bring glory to his name by having faith in Him today.
Believe in his plan…no matter where you are…no matter where you come from…or where it looks like you’re going. His ways are higher than your ways. His thoughts are nothing like your thoughts. You won’t be able to figure His plan out. You won’t be able to see Him coming. One day you’ll be praying, and then, in the blink of an eye, you’ll be standing in the place that you’ve been believing for. So don't give up. Don’t lose hope. Continue to hold tight to promise, and watch as he works miracles in your life.
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. (Isaiah 55:8 NLT)
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for creating me, and thank you for the amazing plan that you have for my life. Today, I have been reminded that you are always moving me towards that plan that you have for me, even when it doesn’t seem like it. Your ways are higher than my ways, and your thoughts are nothing like my thoughts. So Lord, I will trust in you. I will follow your lead, even when I don’t understand. And I will wait on you, no matter how long it takes. I believe that, as long as I don’t give up, I will see the place that you have prepared for me. I love you, Father. In Jesus name, amen.
