“Watch for low tide,” and “Maintain Momentum” those are the two phrases whispered to my heart as I have settled into life after conference. As I sort out the last of the boxes and make phone calls, it definitely feels like low tide. There is certainly not the busyness, the noise, the activity, the people to talk to. Low tide comes after the activity of high tide, it is when the beach is exposed, when sand is dry and the sun beats down, when the dross of high tide lies open to be examined and the line of low tide is not clearly marked or defined, it remains unseen.
Nobody knows how far the line of the low tide is, until the tide turns. Low tide is as necessary as the high tide is spectacular. The one cannot be sustained without the other.
In life, a low tide usually comes:
- After a time of great victory, or great achievement
- After a season of great vision
- After a time of great valour, bravery or breakthrough.
Low tide is often painful, yet essential. During low tide we battle with the “sand of feelings” that settles on us. Feelings of down-ness; tiredness; sorrow; boredom. We long for high tide, when we felt useful, with things to do. Often the “dross” that is out on our “beach of life”, bothers us. We know it is always there during high tide, when it is hidden with all the activity of the waves. But now, during low tide, all the “sea-weed” and “drift-wood” is out where we can see it again and we are reminded that it needs to be cleared up. We also suddenly notice all the other stuff on our beach of life, things that are neglected, not cleared away, not getting attention while we were busy in high tide.
Most of all, during low tide, when the sun beats down, we find that our spirit (or passion) is dry. I understood the warning now, it is during low tide, that we again need to fall in dependence before the Lord and say “I need the water that You provide, fill me with your Spirit for I am dependent upon You.” It is during this low tide that we go back to the true source of our strength, discover our failed strategies to satisfy our own thirst and drink deeply from the fountain that has no end.
“For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the Fountain of living waters, and they have hewn for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns which cannot hold water.” Jeremiah 2:13
John 6:35 (AMP) Jesus replied, “I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry, and he who believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me will never thirst any more (at any time).”
If I do not engage in this process of low tide, I will not be ready for the next high tide. Be prepared to go through low tide, look at your program and anticipate low tide and spend the time drinking from your true source of strength.
Without the low tide, we would not be able to understand others that are in their low tide and remind them of the source of living water.
The tide does eventually turn.
“So Lord, what do I need to understand about this low tide period?” I asked. This is what I understand to do during low tide:
- Finish up the activity of high tide, do the filing, the payments, the phone calls. You don’t want the activities of this high tide to interfere with the tide that is coming next. So finish well.
- Put into order your “beach of life.” Tidy up, sort out, stock up. Make the necessary appointments that you have been putting off. Turn over the other areas of your life and sort them out a little.
- Take the pulse on important relationships, how are they doing. Spend time with them. Talk. Have people over. Re-establish and strengthen relationships that are important to you, especially your relationship with your spouse.
- Connect with the new contacts, people you met during high tide, re-connect with them before they forget who you are and move on into their new tides.
- Rest. After work comes the blessing of rest. Do what you really enjoy, that you have not had time for. Nap. Nurture yourself.
- Re-establish good habits. Those that have been neglected while you were busy. Exercise, vitamins and drinking water. Plenty of sleep. Quiet times.
- Manage the urgent. Don’t let other people’s emergencies sweep you off into activity just because you happen to be idle for now. People will find you stuff to do. Think carefully before you commit to anything in low tide.
- Dust off the planner, take a look at what is actually going to happen in the next six months. What do you need to organise, what is going to take time. Where is the extra time going to be in the future? Check if that important event is actually on the calendar.
Take time to think. Think about where you are, what needs to improve. What God is saying to you. What God is doing around you. What God has already revealed to you. Be careful not to follow your agenda, but God’s agenda. Careful not to build your kingdom, but God’s Kingdom.- Read, meditate, fast, pray. This is the quiet season. Time to get into the word, meditate on it. Pray and listen. Drinking deeply from the Lord, while He prepares you and your heart, for what is next.
During low tide it is wise for me to spend time in the activity of low tide. This low tide season is necessary for me, to drink deeply from my Lord, to rest, to think and to prepare for the next high tide.
Father, help me to do the responsibilities of low tide, to drink deeply from the fountain of living water, to eat the bread of life that You offer. Help me to enter into rest, to pause, to think and to prepare my heart. Help me not to run off and get busy, but to wait in Your Presence, until You say it is time to move again.
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I have a heart for younger women (working mothers etc) my own daughters are living in Gauteng so i ve gathered other “womens daughters” to encourage daily. A friend forward you blog&to me- such awesome Word to forward to them. May GOD RICHLY BLESS you in sharing your experiences with us.Today s realy touch my own life because i have to rethink&hear anew from God “what does He exactly want from me”.
Dearest Gretha,
I am so touched by your feedback and so delighted to hear how you share the Word with your daughters and “daughters”. My heart really burns for women to encourage other women and you will see me touch on the subject often in my blog. You are doing exactly what God wants us women to do, mentor and teach other women. Titus 2. Feel free to follow the tag on mentoring, or women from the home page and this will give you some of the previous posts. I am praying that God will reveal fresh purpose and direction to you.
Much love
Michelle
The low tide was evident in Elijah’s life, after he in Gods power defeated the prophets of baal, I think some 450 of them, which was an astounding miracle and act of divine power, he then ran away into the desert to escape the threats of one women, the queen Jezebel. The Lord asked him what he was doing there. Often after great victory we must be one our guard for any counter attack of the enemy, the world, things around us, even ourselves. But we can rest assured, the Lord will bring us through and mature us to be ever more like Him, and we can stand and say I look to the Lord who is my salvation, I will stand and see what mighty acts of power and answers He will bring. It is a marvelous time to be alive in the Kingdom of God. Amen
I love that you mention this story since it is in Elijah’s low tide that God asks him a locating question which we discussed before. The question helps him to look at where he is, tired, needing to rest, to receive the Lord’s food. You are so right that we need to be on our guard at low tide, we are exposed and it is often during this time that wrong thinking will come up again, discouragement will be felt and we will be harassed with doubt about God’s hand in our lives. Thank you for sharing.