The Scorched Terrain in our Lives

Joel 2:25
“I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten,” says the Lord.

This past weekend, I had the privilege of keynoting the Coastal Women’s Retreat at Fort Caswell, NC.

With close to 400 women in attendance, my topic was Purpose… I taught using Daniel’s life as an example of God still having a good plan and purpose for our lives despite experiencing scorched earth circumstances.

What is scorched earth? It’s when the terrain of our lives will never be altered. Sometimes it’s due to choices others made for us or it due to the really bad choices we have made.

Daniel experienced scorched earth as a teenager. The terrain of his life would never be the same following King Nebuchadnezzar’s smack down on Jerusalem. While often the poorest could remain – everyone else was killed. The best and the brightest were forced into slavery.

Daniel would have seen his friends and family murdered… He was forced to walk across several deserts to Babylon… Upon arriving, he was forced to integrate into the culture by changing his language, wardrobe, name and identity. He would NEVER go back home to his beloved Jerusalem. He would NEVER see his mother or grandmother EVER again. Life would never be the same.

So it is for many of us. As the women shared with me, nothing could have prepared me for the scorched earth some of these women have experienced:

A husband leaving for another woman –
A husband’s addiction to porn causing divorce and upheaval –
A husband leaving for another man –
Alcohol addiction –
Infertility and hopelessness
A woman losing two children (a 14 year old and a 20 year old) a few years apart in two separate accidents.
Rape
A daughter’s murder

If you are someone who’s experienced scorched earth, I’ll share with you, the same thing I shared with them:

“I’ve got nothin’! But I can lead you to the ONE Who does. He’s the ONLY ONE Who can comfort you, help make sense of life in this new season, encourage you and give you hope in these places of desolation.

He did it for Daniel. He’ll do it for you.

HOWEVER, like Daniel, we’ll have to CHOOSE to do life God’s way… We’ll have to intentionally live life according to His Word; obeying Him as best we understand with our whole hearts embracing the good He has for us in this new season.

And when we do – He’ll chase us down with favor, promotion and purpose in our everyday lives – despite the terrain being forever altered. (Daniel 1:8-21; 2:46-49; 6:29)

Below is the closing session:

Is there anything MORE PRECIOUS than the people of God on their knees before Him?

Confessing sin; releasing unforgiveness, bitterness and anger… At least 10 accepted Christ for the first time! Women deliberately making decisions to live God’s way… It was AWESOME sight to behold! The Spirit of God was in this place moving mightily!