Just one season later by Petra Pierre - Robertson

 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD. "For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit.”  Jeremiah 17:7-8

Plenty fruit. Good or bad?

I couldn't believe it. This could not be the same tree that had given us luscious, bounteous, fruits earlier in the year.   The season had been long and fruitful. I ate mangoes for breakfast, and even lunch, most days.  This was an inconsistent tree.  The most we had gotten from it in the past was one mango every few days, 7 – 10 mangoes at most.  We had never seen it blossom and bear like this! When, a few months after that heartening season, we saw that the tree was flowering again expectation and excitement arose.  The tree was on a roll!  I salivated anticipating peeling back skin to dig into the juicy pulp of the mango; or so I thought.  

How did this happen?

This is what I encountered. Yes, there were several fruits. But the fruit were not good at all.  How?  Why? What had gone wrong? It was the same yard, standing next to another tree which had just born large, buttery, delicious fruits.  Why the inconsistency in the bearing and quality of fruit?  What about its reality had changed?  What about your reality has changed?

So much has changed...

Renowned, international cricketer Brian Lara, described as one of the greatest batsmen of all time, holds several cricketing records including highest individual score of 501 in first class cricket (1994); the highest individual score of 400 in a Test innings (2004); 28 runs in one over - the highest number of runs in one over (2003). He also topped the test batting rankings on several occasions.  Yet he also had inconsistent performances, and greatly disappointed fans on a few occasions. I can think of a number of other persons who also had very good days and equally bad days.

You begin at zero each time

As you face this new week with new realities and challenges remember:

• Each time you start a new match you begin on zero
• Yesterday’s faith can't be recalled for today's trial.  God’s mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22, 23)
• You need time to refuel.  The gas you installed yesterday won’t last forever.  Every morning our example got up and went in a solitary place to pray (Mark 1:35)
• After one trial comes another in a different form. Do not be discouraged; do not run away in fear.  (1 Kings 19:3,4).  God does not manifest himself the same way every time (I Kings 19:11,12).

Do not run away

Not because you were successful once you are assured success at every leg of the journey.  Consider the following scenarios: You may have passed for your first choice but not performed well at CSEC; you may have aced CSEC but not CAPE; all your students may have attained distinctions in one exam in one year, but in another year another group of students barely passed, or the majority failed; you may have scored the winning goal in the semi-finals but missed the deciding goal in the final; you may have engendered a standing ovation in one performance and received silence in another.

The just shall live by faith

It doesn’t end at the second, third or even the fourth season. Seasons come and seasons go. Some may be better than others, but live by faith (Hebrews 10:38), whether life is fair or not. It wasn’t always easy for Joseph, Job and countless other faithful stewards in the Bible, but their faith was accounted to them for righteousness (Romans 4:3-5), and they bore good fruit (Matthew 7:20). This is because they served a consistent God, with sufficient grace for all our weaknesses and inconsistencies. May your faith also guarantee for you fruitful seasons despite adversity as you ground your faith in a God who does not change (Malachi 3:6).  

Be Blessed!

www.pierrerobertson.com