Dry Spells

I’ve read about a dozen chapters of Jeremiah since yesterday and… nothing. If it’s there I’m not seeing it. Just nothing is speaking to me. Since I’ve started this blog I feel compelled to say something. So maybe there is a lesson here.

 

What do you do when you’re not getting anything out of your daily Bible reading? Keep reading! There are periods like this. I assume everyone has them. Jeremiah lived a pretty long and eventful life and he only wrote fifty-two chapters. If he had used his imagination he could have written fifty-two books. But since he was committed to write only what the Lord gave him, well, fifty-two chapters is what we get.

 

That is not to say that God does not have something to say to us everyday, but He may just say it in different ways. In fact, sometimes God cannot say it to us—He has to show it to us.

 

Anyway, the point is this: keep reading. You will not get a bombshell revelation every day. That’s okay. Just keep reading. Keep praying. Keep on keeping on.

 

I heard a guy put it like this: “I have been married for thirty years. Most every day of those thirty years my wife has cooked for me.  For the life of me I don’t remember what was on the menu for one single meal. Don’t get me wrong; my wife is a great cook. But no single meal just jumps out at me as outstanding. Does that mean I didn’t get anything out of it? Look at me! Do I look malnourished? I’m as healthy as a horse. It’s the overall effect of consistency.”

 

I’ve had thousands of quiet times, but no single time jumps out as outstanding. I’ve had some of those; I just can’t remember any of them off the top of my head. I’d probably be hard pressed to remember one if I sat down and strained my brain over it. But am I spiritually undernourished? I’m still here. I’m not where I want to be but I have grown. The Holy Spirit has given me every day what I needed whether I was aware of it or not.

 

So, hang in there. Keep reading. Keep digging. The breakthroughs will come.