“He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.” Ecclesiastes 11:4-6
I was recently reading these verses from Ecclesiastes, and the Lord truly spoke to my heart. This concept has been a devastating discouragement to so many Christians around us.
Many times we put in the work, yet we see little return. Instead of gritting it out, many Christians tend to either quit altogether or come up with their own plan instead of being faithful to God’s plan. The following points will explain some areas in which this can be the case.
Bible Reading – I may not know when God will use scripture to mold me, but I do believe his word will never return void.
Prayer – I may not know when my prayers will be answered, but I do know God is willing to answer my faith-filled prayers.
Soul-Winning – I may not know who will truly get saves when I witness, but I do believe in the power of the word of God.
Church Attendance – I may not know which service will be life-changing, but I do know that assembling is detrimental to my Christian life.
Deputation – I may not know which phone call will turn into a meeting, but I do know that making phone calls is the key to getting meetings.
I may not know which meeting will turn into support and a partnership, but I do know that God will use meetings to get our family to Turkey.
Language School – I may not know which language school class will make the language understandable, but I do know that immersion in the language and a humble spirit will end in fluent preaching of the word.
Church Planting – I may not know which flyer will turn into a visitor, but I do know that outreach is the key to getting a church off the ground.
Men Training – I may not know which young man will actually live his life for Christ, but I do know that discipleship is the key to training men.
I could continue listing these scenarios, but I think you get the point. We do know that God blesses hard work. And with that, I want to give you 3 points to close on this thought.
- Don’t get discouraged.
- Keep your hand to the plow.
- Trust God with the results.
