A Word Spoken Out of Season

Have you ever experienced a time when God has said something to you that seemed in such great contradiction to the life surrounding you that you doubt if he said it at all? Perhaps, you wonder, if you have forgotten the sound of his voice? Maybe you have thought that this must be one of those instances you have it wrong. It wasn’t God at all, just your mind playing tricks on you.

And yet, that same word comes back to you time and again. And there is only one voice that speaks like that. You become more and more convinced that it is the word of God for you. But maybe it just isn’t for now. Perhaps it is one of those words that takes a great deal of time to unfold. After all, the bible is full of such instances when God says something to someone, and it takes decades to come to pass (e.g. God telling David he was to be king, Abraham he was to have a child, etc.). So, then, why did God speak it now?

Does God preempt pain by sowing seeds of hope? Seeds that, if we listen carefully, can be an anchor on which to rest? A place to trust? Yet another sign of the tremendous and incredible kindness of our loving Father? Is it often that such words are spoken, and far greater chaos ensues?

God spoke such a word to me late last year. At the time, it was nice, but I couldn’t quite see what it meant. He told me that he was bringing me into broad and open spaces. I thought about and even started a series of paintings on this theme. Pictures settled in my mind of standing in fields of golden wheat, seemingly without end, under cobalt skies. Of standing on mountain tops with the world at my feet. They were places where one could breathe deeply, without restriction or constriction. Spaces of incredible beauty and majesty. Invitations to freedom and grace. I discovered later that this phrase is used by David in Psalm 18:19.

And then, a series of events took place, all out of my control, and I felt the opposite. My world was caving in. There was no space. I got sick with covid, and I could not breathe. Even now, two months later, breathing deeply and freely is difficult. And yet, through this all, the word of God to me has not grown faint. It has not lost its immediacy. It has rung out, louder and clearer. He has told me again and again, “I am bringing you into broad and open spaces.”

This word has brought me peace and held me in the chaos. It has been, for me, the harbinger of hope and faith.

Perhaps it is often this way? In our moments of pain, trial and difficulty, do we need to be listening for the word that speaks life? For the one who brings light in the darkness? Who creates beauty out of chaos? Is there something glorious in the unfolding of a promise spoken when such an end seems impossible?

Dear Father, sometimes you speak words of such impossibility you take our breath away. Other times those words come back to taunt us as we wonder if they were indeed words spoken from your mouth. Thank you, for the hope and for the courage that you breathe into us. May we hold on to the words that you have spoken. May we have the courage to let go of what is not from you. Give us wisdom and discernment to know you, ears to hear you, and faith and hope to follow you today, and always. Amen

Has God spoken such a word to you and you are waiting for its fruition? Have you seen such a word come to pass? As always, I’d love to hear your stories.

For those of you who keep track of these things I am sorry for the long silence, hopefully inspiration will come more frequently in the future. Feel free to comment below, or to contact us at any time. If you subscribe to our blog, you will be notified when new posts are available, and/or follow us on Instagram.