Training Camp

If you are familiar with Football, then you are familiar with the concept of Training Camp. Every year, before the official season begins, every football team (professional football) holds what is called a Training Camp. During this Camp, all of the players who intend to play on the team come out to participate in this Camp. Not everybody who comes to the Camp, makes the team. Some people get cut. During the Camp, the coaches assess the ability of each player, to see if they have what it takes to make the roster. The Camp allows the players to develop their skills, and more than anything else, learn the techniques and methods that the coaches want the players to learn and for the team to execute. Training Camp ends when the official season begins.

The concept of Training Camp is applicable to the church and the Body of Christ. Many Christians are conditioned by the "stay busy" mindset of our digitalized culture. People have to always be doing "something". However, this is not the Way of God. Every now and then, instead of God having His people move, He has them to make camp. In other words, Be Still. Many of us have found ourselves in a season of "Camping". Not a lot is going on; personally, relationally, financially, ministerially, it just seems like things have been at a stand still, for an extended period of time. A lot of us, particularly if you're ministry-minded and service-driven, feel like something must be wrong if things aren't "moving" in your life. However saints, this assessment is incorrect. Part of God's dealing with His people is to have them Be Still and "camp" for a season. If this is the Season that God has you in and has "had" you in, don't be frustrated, don't be upset, and don't think that "something is wrong". Believe it or not, you're right where God has ordained for you to be.

In the Old Testament, when God was leading the children of Israel through the Wilderness, there were several times where He had them to make camp and just stay at a particular location for a specific period of time (Numbers 9). The children of Israel knew not to break camp until the Cloud lifted and God directed them to move forward. It's the same with His army today. God has a purpose in keeping you still for a Season. An apostle shared a message that Jesus gave Him where the Lord said, "The strength of the army that marches will be determined by the quality of its camp. When it is time to stop and camp, it is to teach My people My ways. An army is an army whether it is in battle or at peace. You must learn how to camp, how to march, and how to fight. You will not do any one of these well unless you do them all well." I pray that you have a productive Training Camp.