Thriving During Seasons of Barrenness

August 6, 2008

By James Fields

Every human wants to live a fruitful life. We all desire to do something worthwhile, something that blesses people. We need to feel significant. But life on earth occasionally brings “seasons of barrenness.” Those times of “fruitlessness” confuse us, hurt us and test us. Nevertheless, you cannot escape all seasons of barrenness.

Accept barren seasons as normal cycles of life. God designed humans to be “fruitful in season” (see Psalm 1:3). Fruitful seasons bring joy but cannot last forever.

Why can’t we constantly enjoy the thrill of bearing fruit? Is it too much to expect uninterrupted high-intensity fruit bearing?

I believe endless fruitfulness sometimes endangers our relationship to God. We become so engrossed with productivity that we forget that God alone makes us fruitful. Temporary barrenness allows us to refocus our attention on God. We recall that

serving Him is primarily all about loving Him.

Fruitfulness springs from union with Jesus, the Creator of all things. To increase our

fruitfulness, He uses seasons of barrenness to deepen His fellowship with us. Deepened

fellowship brings further seasons of incredible fruitfulness.

Friends, don’t be discouraged during barren seasons. Recall Jesus’ promise to those who set their hearts upon loving Him: “If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5, NIV).

— James and Delores Fields are veteran Assemblies of God pastors and former missionaries. They founded Comfort and Encouragement Ministries in 1997.