Writer, Don't Lose Heart
By
Andrea Merrell
As
we’ve talked about before, writing is a process, not an event. It’s a journey that
can begin very slowly and seem uphill all the way.
Just
like everything else in life, there are always obstacles to overcome. At times
we have to “fight” in order to possess the territory—the dream God has placed
in our heart.
But
sometimes it’s hard to believe in our heart (as the Word says) when we don’t
see our dream manifest as quickly as we’d like it to. That’s when we have to exercise
our faith.
Pastor
and author Bob Gass says:
Just because something’s
not immediately evident doesn’t mean it won’t happen. For example, when we ask
God for an oak tree, He gives us an acorn. At this point we may think God didn’t
hear and answer our prayer. No, the oak tree is in the acorn; it’s just a
matter of time before what’s inside bursts out. Whatever God has promised you,
the seeds are already within you. Water them, nurture them, and don’t let
anyone uproot them through unbelief. In other words, begin thanking God for
what He’s going to do in your life.
The
hardest part is in the waiting. That’s when the Enemy whispers defeat in our
ears and tries to convince us to give up. But God is always at work in and
around us, even when we don’t see the evidence. Read these words from Chris
Tiegreen and take them to heart:
There
can be a painfully long gap between a promise from God and its fulfillment. In
that gap, we can become thoroughly frustrated at how long it’s taking to happen
or how many detours we’ve had to take. The place between promise and payoff is
hard one. And it can distort our perception of life, God, and ourselves.
This
is normal for God. The hard place of waiting is also the fruitful place of
faith. This is where faith gets stretched and strengthened, and we can’t get to
any land of promise without it. We have to know that even when we don’t see God
working, he is—behind the scenes, between the lines, beyond the horizon. He may
give us glimpses to keep us going, but for the most part, we have to wait with
nothing but trust.
Don’t
give up the wait. God watches over his words to fulfill them. He hasn’t
forgotten you, changed his mind, or stripped it from you. His words are like
seeds planted in the ground. Eventually, they show. And the harvest is
wonderful.
God is a man of His Word. What He promises, He will do. Jeremiah
confirmed it in Jeremiah 1:12: The Lord said to
me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word
is fulfilled" (NIV).
The Message puts it this way: God’s message came to me:
“What do you see, Jeremiah?”
I said, “A walking stick—that’s
all.” And God
said, “Good eyes! I’m sticking with you. I’ll make every word I give you come true.
If you’re in
the hard place of waiting for God’s promises to be fulfilled, know that He hasn’t
forgotten or forsaken you. He is working all things together for your good, and
His timing is always perfect. So, don’t lose heart. He will come through just in time.
(Photos courtesy of Blogpiks.com and Stuart Miles.)
TWEETABLES
If you’re in
the hard place of waiting for God’s promises to be fulfilled, He hasn’t forgotten
or forsaken you. He's working all things together for your good, and His
timing is always perfect. via @AndreaMerrell (Click to tweet.)
Amen. God doesn't forget us. Even though waiting can be difficult, His timing is always best. :-)
ReplyDeleteI think there is a lot of growing in our waiting, Melissa. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Blessings and Happy Fourth! :)
DeleteAn excellent post and one I really needed!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Joey. And Happy Fourth! :)
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