SCHOOL OF BARRENNESS – LEAH 

Text:  Gen. 29:31; 30:1-13; 22-24

Intro:  Barrenness will pass.   Barrenness will not be your portion for the rest of your spiritual journey.  You may feel very empty, very ignored by God and His blessings. Your barrenness could be a much greater sign of future success than you might imagine.  You may be discouraged or feeling condemn but God has the sacred and secret keys to unlock your barrenness.

Barrenness is God’s secret school of success.  Brokenness and barrenness are in the same family together produce a healthy offering.  They produce patience, hope, humility and faith. In life we usually don’t ask for barrenness or brokenness, but God sees that we go through what is necessary.

Jacob also encountered barrenness with his wives Leah and Rachel.  Abraham, Issac  and Jacob encountered the barrenness test and in all three situations, God moved through their barrenness to establish His covenant seed.

A)   Leah’s Lord, is the God Of Compassion

Genesis 29:31 - “When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.”   Leah bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, “The Lord has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.”

Leah’s name may be representative of a barren woman. Leah means “wearied, faint from sickness”  Yet the Lord loved Leah.  For Jacob’s love he loved Rachel much and was based on her physical attractiveness but  for Leah she is in a state of rejection. She bore four more sons and a daughter to Jacob.  Our God is a God of Compassion. He saw the needs of Leah.

But Leah was rejected by Jacob’s love.  Negative attitudes are cultivated because of comparing and fighting for love for her husband. Leah and Rachel both wants love. Leah could be so negative over her life.  God is a God of unconditional love for His people.  Sometimes in church we could not offer that kind of love.

If you desire a Leah church – a church always crave for man’s attention, or success identity.  And sometimes Leah church focus on using and abusing the Church for their own needs and desires.  These believers have scattered and split many churches in the past.

But Barrenness can to turn to awesome growth through the love of God and the love of God’s leaders. This is the good side of the picture.  Instead build a Leah church fill with love of God.  Let the church feel our love, passion and satisfaction.

Replace Negative Attitude with a Mature Attitude.  Your attitude can help to break the bands of barrenness.  What a mature attitude look like? It is:

·         An attitude of restraining your tongue from all complaints, discontent and murmurings or dissatisfaction in God’s dealings toward you but only trust Him.

·         An attitude of blessing and praising God inspite of things not getting along well.

·         An attitude of patience toward those who hurts you offensive or provoke you.

God take notice of people who are experiencing a lack of love.   Loveless ness  produces negativity which can result in spiritual barrenness.  Lack of positive expectation, heartfelt gratitude and wholehearted forgiveness are all signs of a negative attitude.

Taken from Rev. Frank Damazio book