Our part or responsibility is to position ourselves for the shift – creating a climate that sets the stage for God to move in our lives. Scientists will tell you that the earth’s seasons have shifted in recent years, and they point to climate change as the foundation for the shift.
If we translate this to a spiritual reality, as natural surroundings often correspond to spiritual conditions, it’s clear that changing our spiritual climate sets the stage for a shift in spiritual seasons. We can’t shift our seasons; God does that. But we can create a climate that invites Him to do the work in our hearts that prepares us for the next season.
Wait for the ‘Suddenly’
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines suddenly as ‘happening or coming unexpectedly; a changing angle or character all at once; marked by or manifesting abruptness or haste; made or brought about in a short time.’
God is the God of the sudden. In fact, the word suddenly appears 87 times in the Bible. That is not counting words such as behold, immediately or unexpectedly, which all have the same meaning as suddenly. Suddenly is not just for biblical times or biblical characters, it’s for us too. God is still in the business of suddenly – yesterday, today and forever.
Isaiah 48:3(NKJV) “I have declared the former things from the beginning; They went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it. Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.
Isaiah 30:18(AMP) Therefore the LORD waits [expectantly] and longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; Blessed (happy, fortunate) are all those who long for Him [since He will never fail them].
Isaiah 29:5-6(NLT) “But suddenly, your ruthless enemies will be crushed like the finest of dust. Your many attackers will be driven away like chaff before the wind. Suddenly, in an instant, I, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, will act for you with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with whirlwind and storm and consuming fire.
Isaiah 48:3(NLT) Long ago I told you what was going to happen. Then suddenly I took action, and all my predictions came true.
As we wait and expect to see God move, we will see just that. No matter how long or how hard it has been, God has a suddenly for you, a sudden breakthrough. As we wait and trust God, He will move, He will fulfil His promise, and we will receive from Him what we waited and looked for.