"Ready in Season"

Be ready in season and out of season —2 Timothy 4:2

Many of us suffer from the unbalanced tendency to “be ready” only “out of season.” The season does not refer to time; it refers to us. This verse says, “Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season.” In other words, we should “be ready” whether we feel like it or not. If we do only what we feel inclined to do, some of us would never do anything. There are some people who are totally unemployable in the spiritual realm. They are spiritually feeble and weak, and they refuse to do anything unless they are supernaturally inspired. The proof that our relationship is right with God is that we do our best whether we feel inspired or not.

One of the worst traps a Christian worker can fall into is to become obsessed with his own exceptional moments of inspiration. When the Spirit of God gives you a time of inspiration and insight, you tend to say, “Now that I’ve experienced this moment, I will always be like this for God.” No, you will not, and God will make sure of that. Those times are entirely the gift of God. You cannot give them to yourself when you choose. If you say you will only be at your best for God, as during those exceptional times, you actually become an intolerable burden on Him. You will never do anything unless God keeps you consciously aware of His inspiration to you at all times. If you make a god out of your best moments, you will find that God will fade out of your life, never to return until you are obedient in the work He has placed closest to you, and until you have learned not to be obsessed with those exceptional moments He has given you.

---

隨時隨地常作準備

無論得時不得時，總要專心。 （提後四2）

不少人有這一種病態情況，就是在[不得時]專心。 [時]不是指時間，乃是指我們。 [無論得時不得時]，就是不論我們喜歡或不喜歡。如果我們只做心想做的事，我們就永遠會一事無成。在屬靈的領域裡，有好些派不上用場的人；也有屬靈的老人，這等人若沒有超然的啟示，是不肯動一個指頭的。啟示要證明我們與神的關係，乃是本分，不管我們是否有感動。

作主工人最大的陷阱，就是高舉自己某一刻的特殊經歷。當神的靈給你啟示與亮光，你就說：[從此我為神持守這個地位。 ]錯了，你不能，神必使你不能如此。經歷完全是神所賜的，你不能隨私意據為己有。你若自稱必能保持高峰狀態，你就成為難以忍受的累贅；而你也要神不住地啟示感動，否則就什麼也不肯作。你若把自己超然的經歷當作神，你會發覺神將從你生命中消失，除非你肯盡你的本分，學會不再崇信自己的超然經歷。

祈禱◆主啊，我的靈魂今天最需要的，是解脫和美化。我來到你面前，我的肉身需要你成為救主和主，求你修補我對你失卻熱忱和敏銳的靈，以致我可以在這里為你發揮適當的影響力。