Endurance part 4
One of the things "they" say is, "Don't trade what you want most for what you want now." And while I don't always agree with "them," I think this one is pretty good. Because, while it might be harder to do, enduring until the end will pay off in the long run. That's why I always say, "If you want something different, do something different. Unless you're building something. In which case, keep up the good work." But that's such a different mindset than we generally see in this microwave, "I want it NOW" society that we've built. If something doesn't happen immediately, we think it's never going to happen. But that's not how seeds work. You plant a seed, and you water a seed, and at the appointed time it brings forth the harvest. That's what God told Abraham and Sarah in Genesis chapter 18. He said they were going to have a baby, and Sarah laughed at the impossibility of the situation. Then God said, "Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son" (Genesis 18:14). Two things to notice here: 1. Sarah understood that it was impossible with man. But she DIDN'T understand that with GOD all things are possible. It's not about what we can do. It's about what Jesus did (on the cross), and what He's doing in us, and through us, and as us. 2. The appointed time is according to the time of life. It's not about good and evil. It's about LIFE. And how long does it take for a baby to be born? From the time of conception it takes nine months. Things don't always happen the way we want them to in the timeframe that we want. That's why there's an old saying that goes, "Good things come to those who wait." But I think it's important to understand that while we're waiting, we're not just sitting and twiddling our thumbs. Rest is NOT inactivity. Rest is Holy Spirit directed activity. Rest is trusting that what God is doing IN you is going to come OUT of you. Not giving up when you don't see immediate results, but trusting the plan. Trusting the MAN (Jesus) behind the plan! "And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62). So don't give up. Don't give up on love! A setback is really just a set-up for a comeback!