Too Much Threshing

"Grain must be ground to make bread;
   so one does not go on threshing it forever.
Though he drives the wheels of his threshing cart over it,
   his horses do not grind it"
Isaiah 28:28

I have wondered about the meaning of this scripture for some time. As I read this several days ago, I realized that there is application to our lives and circumstances. The scripture in context, begins with a very strong word from God that basically says, "Listen to my words, pay attention to this." Some lessons about farming follow. It says that a farmer plows, but does not continue to plow. Once the ground is leveled, he plants the crop he wishes to harvest. Then comes the threshing process. Threshing is the separating of the grain from the stalks. It is accomplished in a variety of ways depending on the type of crop. Again, as our scripture states, one does not thresh forever. There is an end to the threshing so that the grain may be made into usable food.
    There is certainly a spiritual element to this scripture. We all need to prepare our spiritual fields sometimes. We need to prepare for the future God has for us by plowing the soil and preparing our lives to enter into God's purpose. Sometimes, we have difficulty moving on. The plowing and threshing process may become so habitual that we don't realize there is a time for it to end. If we plow forever, we will never plant a spiritual crop. If we thresh forever, we will never produce the spiritual food that God has called us to produce. So then, something that began as a good thing becomes a never ending cycle of living in the same place. We prepare, but we never harvest. God wants us to know through this passage of scripture, that it is vitally important to move on into the production phase of our spiritual lives. If we don't, we may feel like hamsters on a wheel, never getting anywhere.
    For me, this speaks volumes. I know there is something ahead for me that God has already planned. I know some things about it, but I don't yet have the full picture. So this becomes an excuse to not act on what I do know, but to dwell on what I don't. It causes me to focus on what I don't have rather than what I do have. The word 'thresh' has several definitions. Most of them pertain to the agricultural application of separating the grain from the stocks. But there is an interesting definition that may help us to understand the spiritual connotation of this scripture. to thresh may mean, "To discuss or examine an issue repeatedly." (American Heritage Dictionary). This points directly to my problem. Rather than just believing God and moving forward in his plan, I continue to examine the roadblocks instead of taking what I know and moving forward with the direction I have. Too much threshing stops or slows the end result.
    I wonder if others face the same predicament I do? I know that many of us have dreams and visions of what God has for our lives. He has called us and equipped us to be great in his kingdom. But when the roadblocks come, we spend so much time thinking about our circumstances that we never move forward in God's plan. God uses people who are moving. Those who are standing still are indecisive. Fear causes them to be stuck. If you are one who is spending too much time threshing, realize that the threshing time is only a means to an end. It is part of the process, not the completion of it. Look beyond the roadblocks. See the exciting future God has for you. Believe that your dreams will be fulfilled. Be a good farmer. The threshing time must end so that the spiritual food may be produced. No one continues to thresh forever. Move into God's plan for your life.