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Several weeks ago, The GSquirrels. They are fun to watch, hunt, and keep out of your birdfeeders. God made an amazing animal when he made the squirrel. They are mischievous, fast, and can jump from one tree to the next when a couple hundred feet off the ground. They also plan and lay up provisions for winter months beginning in the spring and summer. To prepare for the lean and hard times of winter, they work hard to provide for themselves and their young well in advance. When resources are plentiful, they stash away hidden caches of nuts and seeds near their nests to be used when food is scarce.
The Book of Proverbs also highlights similar activity in ants. Proverbs 6:6-8 tell us, “Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer, and gathers her food in harvest”
The obvious application, and the one certainly intended in this passage, is about working hard, planning, and saving. That said, have you ever thought that there might be an application in terms of preparing spiritually in seasons of blessing for sessions of hardship?
Just like the weather seasons are cyclical in life, so are the ups and downs of life. Some of you may find yourselves in an emotional season of spring when things seem to be going your way, you are filled with joy, and all you can see around you is blessing. Or you may find yourself in mid to late autumn as you feel the days growing shorter and the cold begins biting at the edges of your day.
No matter where and when you find yourself, you can be sure that the Lord will never leave or forsake Christians. He forsook his Son on the cross so that he might call you his son or daughter. He will provide your physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. But he also uses means to do this. He may provide for you financially when money is tight through the savings you have been putting aside like squirrels put away acorns.
We can plan for the difficult seasons of life by building up our spiritual reserves when we are not in crisis. When we continually hide the Word of God in our hearts (Psalm 119:11), we are strengthening our faith and being grown in God’s grace that we might walk by faith and not by sight in whatever season of life we find ourselves in. How will we know in the midst of sadness and sorrow that the Lord keeps track of our every tossing at night and collects our tears in a bottle unless we have hidden these acorns in our hearts beforehand? (Psalm 56:8)? Will we be able to find that cache of hidden seeds of the great promise that though we will have tribulation, the Lord has overcome the world (John 16:33)? Not unless we have already hidden it. What about the promise that God says he will be with us wherever we go (Joshua 1:9)? Or that God promises to give wisdom to those who ask for it (James 1:5)?
One very key way to prepare for emotional or spiritual winter is through fostering relationships and godly friendships in times of plenty.
Ecclesiastes 4:12 reminds us, “And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” We need each other when we find ourselves tested and strained with challenges in life. The time to form those threefold cords is now so that you will have someone to call upon when things get hard.
How are you storing up for challenges in the future?
Imitate the squirrel when there are plenty of acorns on the ground.