WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE IN A FAMINE

Do you know what to do when you are in a famine? Dear old Google defines famine as a place of extreme scarcity, drought, shortage, and deprivation. In this place, one has to make do with what they have, although it is not enough, and the little that one has to be stretched to meet the need. So whether it is money, food, or any other resource, it has to be stretched so that it can meet all the needs. This is a place of lack and obvious discomfort, too.

In Ruth 1, there was a drought in Judah and so Elimelech and his family- his wife, Naomi, and two sons, Mahlon and Chillion- left Bethlehem and moved to Moab to sojourn there. The famine in Judah had caused them to relocate. For them to leave their hometown, their place of familiarity for a place unfamiliar to them means it was terrible.

1 In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. ² The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there Ruth 1

Can you relate to what Naomi experienced? Has famine caused you to move to an unfamiliar place? Maybe because of unemployment, you have had to start a business that you have no experience in. Or maybe you have had to start a career that you did not study for. Has famine led you to unfamiliar grounds? Do you want to know what to do when you are in a famine? Then keep reading.

Characteristics of a famine.

• Lack
• Discomfort
• Loss
• Pain
• Hunger
• Starvation
• Destitution and sometimes death.

What causes Famine?

When we look at it from a Biblical context, we see that either natural disasters or human events can cause famine. In the book of Ruth, the cause is not stated, so we can assume that it was just another natural disaster. However, there are moments as human beings we can bring upon ourselves. An example of that is when we sin and the consequences of our sins lead us to a self-inflicted famine. In the Bible, we see the Israelites in the book of 2 Samuel experienced drought and famine because of the sin, and rebellion of Saul

21 During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the Lord. The Lord said, “It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.” 2 Samuel 21

Going outside of God’s will can lead one to go through famine too. In Judges 6, the Israelites went outside of God’s will for them by worshipping Baal and intermarrying with the nations that God has told them not to. Because of this God became angry with them and handed them over to the Midianites for 7 years. In those 7 years, the Midianites and the other nations ganged up against the Israelites to where they took their fields and houses, which forced the Israelites to live in caves. They experienced famine for 7 years because of their disobedience.

6 The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites. ² Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves, and strongholds. ³ Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and other eastern peoples invaded the country. ⁴ They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys. ⁵ They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count them or their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it. ⁶ Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the Lord for help. Judges 6

In these 2 examples, we see 2 scenarios where human beings experienced famine because of their actions. So today I want us to look at the steps to take when we find ourselves in self-inflicted famine. And also on how to reposition ourselves back to God’s will and plan for our lives. And again, I don’t want you to make room for guilt and condemnation in your life. When God convicts, His aim is to redeem. He wants to restore you and get you back on track. So let’s get started.

The goal of conviction is to bring redemption not condemnation.

What then should you do when you find yourself in a self-inflicted famine?

I want to start off by saying that famine does not have to be physical, it can be spiritual, mental, or even psychological. So you might not be experiencing literal famine, but you could be experiencing it in other ways. Maybe your business is not doing as well as it used to. Maybe you no longer have clients for your business.

Spiritually, you could be experiencing dryness like prayerlessness, prayer devoid of power, or just spiritual emptiness in general. Are you in a season where prayer seems like a chore? Or maybe you don’t even enjoy spending time with God or reading the Bible as you used to. Is this you? Then maybe you are experiencing a famine.

Mentally, maybe you have run out of problem-solving skills, and lack motivation, drive, and passion. Do you lack the desire to move forward? There are different types of famine, so do not look at it from one point too. So back to the topic, what should you do?

Repentance.

In 2 Chronicles, God says that if He shut the heaven such that no rain is coming down. When we repent and turn from our wicked ways, He will hear from heaven and heal our land. God is not merciless, He is full of mercy and compassion and He wants us to know that when we repent, He will hear. So the first thing you need to do is to repent and turn to God. God will never reject a contrite heart and repentant spirit.

He wants you to turn away from your sins and come back to Him and He promises that when you humble yourself and repent, He will hear from heaven and forgive your sins. The other thing He says is that when you repent, He is faithful and just to forgive. His mercy and compassion are new every morning. Are you ready to ask Him for forgiveness?

God wants to forgive you. There is no doubt about it. But how will He forgive you when you don’t repent? You see, you have to give God access to forgive you. He paid the price for your sins, but unless you receive His forgiveness, you will not experience it.

The other thing to note is that, once you have repented, that is it. You should not allow the enemy to tell you otherwise. The only sin God cannot forgive is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Jesus can forgive every other sin. Repentance is turning away from your sin. Now that you have repented, don’t go back to the same sin. Ask the Holy Spirit to empower you not to go back to the old ways. He wants to help you overcome your sinful ways. The Holy Spirit has your back. You can trust Him.

Obedience

Once you have asked for forgiveness and allowed God to minister to you, you then obey and follow what He tells you. Any self-inflicted famine stems from disobedience and so for you to come back to God’s will, obedience is key. God has already given us His requirements, and all that is found in the Bible. Thus, you do not have to wonder what God wants from you. Just take the Bible and read it. What is God telling you to do? Has He given you any instructions? Maybe He gave you a task that you are yet to do and that is why you are experiencing famine. Will you resolve to do it? God wants to give you another chance because He desires for you to be victorious. So now you have the chance to obey Him and follow His instructions this time.

Obedience is better than sacrifice. Don’t delay in following what God requires of you. Also, whatever instruction God gives you to do, decide to do it. Delayed obedience is disobedience. Child of God, I want you to know that there are realms of protection that come with obedience. And it says so in Psalm 91.

Psalm 91

Psalm 91

¹ Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.^[a]
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

³ Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
⁴ He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
⁵ You will not fear the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.
⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
⁸ You will only observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.

⁹ If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
¹⁰ no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
¹² they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
¹³ You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

¹⁴ “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
¹⁵ He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”

Faith

Do you believe God can deliver you from famine and take you to the place of overflow? God says that without Faith it is impossible to please Him and those who come to Him must believe that He is and He rewards those who diligently seek Him. God is also full of Mercy He will get you out of situations that you got yourself into, to begin with. When the Israelites realized their mistake and turned back to God, God empowered Gideon to deliver them. Do you trust God? In the same way, He delivered the Israelites, He wants to deliver you, too. And believe that He wants the best for you. Our God is full of love and He wants to deliver you so believe Him and His word and watch Him move on your behalf.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. When you have faith that God will rescue you from the famine you are experiencing, then He will. After all, without faith, it is impossible to please God.

Conclusion

The Mercy of God is the reason Jesus came to save us. God always wants us to live in His will because in Him there is protection, abundance, deliverance, and wholeness. Even in disobedience, God will draw us to Him, and the minute we repent, He will immediately get us back to His will. If you find yourself having gone astray do not stay there, repent and rise. God still has a purpose, plan, and destiny with your name on it and He wants you to walk in His fullness. Do not allow your sins to keep you stuck, repent and move forward. No human being is perfect only Jesus was and still is. So rest in His forgiveness, mercy, and grace. You can never go too far that God cannot rescue you.

When you turn to God, you will become living proof, of what the Mercy of God can do. He will turn your whole life upside down, He will take the old and He will make it new. And you will become a testament to others of what the Goodness and Mercy of God can do!