My husband purchased the classic Pilgrim’s Progress for my birthday this year. It is a work that has long been on my
“need-to-read” list. As the main
character makes his lengthy journey, I find myself wondering, “When is he going
to reach the Celestial City? Shouldn’t he be nearly there by now?” But author John Bunyan accurately portrays
the Christian life – it is a series of defeats and victories, of valleys and
mountaintops, of weaknesses and strengths.
Any number of things tries to hinder the pilgrim on his way – the Slough
of Despond, lions, Apollyon, the Valley of the Shadow of Death . . . and so it
is with us.
It isn’t always easy to travel from one missions conference
to another. There are times when I feel
the weariness in my very bones.
“I didn’t volunteer for this,” my heart sometimes wants to
say.
“Yes, you did,” the Lord whispers in return. “Don’t you
remember that day as a teenager, when you kneeled beside your bed? You told me you surrendered all your life to
Christian service and that you would do anything I asked of you. This may not
feel like ‘missions’ yet, but answering questions, sharing your testimony, riding
in a vehicle for long hours at a time, packing, singing, home schooling on the
road . . . this is the ministry that I have given to you, right now! Are you still surrendered? Are you still
willing?”
God reminds me of my book on the subject of miscarriage, as
well. “You’re listening to the tears of
others who are hurting. You’re sharing the Gospel and the comfort that is found
in Christ. You’re in the business of
rescuing souls from the power of Satan’s darkness – Do you think you won’t be
fought?!”
How about you, Dear Sister?
Do you, too, feel the battle raging?
There are days when we all wish to quit – our jobs, our ministries, our
role as “mom” . . . “Even the youths
shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall . . .” Do you recall the remainder of that verse? “ . . . but they that wait upon the LORD
shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they
shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah
40:30-31)
God desires for us to “Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.” (I Chronicles 16:11)
The truth is, we can’t live even the “easy” days without Him! We need THE LORD
if we are ever to “ . . . run with
patience the race that is set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1)
There’s an old hymn that reads:
“He giveth more
grace when the burdens grow greater.
He sendeth
more strength when the labors increase.
To added
affliction He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied
trials, His multiplied peace.
When we have
exhausted our store of endurance,
When our
strength has failed ere the day is half-done,
When we reach
the end of our hoarded resources,
Our Father's
full giving is only begun.
His love has
no limit, His grace has no measure,
His power no
boundary known unto men,
For out of
His infinite riches in Jesus,
He giveth and
giveth and giveth again.”
In Galatians 6, Paul writes “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap,
if we faint not.”
Have you been struggling with “continuing on”, as I have in
recent days? Have you found yourself weary, even in the midst of doing GOOD
things - the RIGHT things?
May we allow the Lord to help us and enable us as only He can
do!
“And he said unto me, My grace is
sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in
my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in
reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake:
for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (II Cor. 12:9-10)
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