Just The Right Time

Dear Friends,

Recently I was part of an online class put on by our state Department Of Health. The focus was substance abuse, and how the local church can be more involved in dealing with this serious issue. It was an interesting class, with lots of good information about how to help folks who are caught up in alcohol and drug abuse. However, I will admit that after an hour of listening to the statistics, and hearing about the enormous scope of the addiction problem in our state, I began to tune out. It's not that I didn't believe the statistics, or that the needs weren’t legitimate - it's just that the situation seemed overwhelming. How would a small, community church like ours be able to have any significant impact on an enormous problem like this one?

Fortunately, the Lord knew there was more for me to learn - and after the class was over, I opened up my Bible to do some sermon prep. The bookmark in my Bible was at Galatians 6:9, which says: “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” It was exactly the reminder I needed to persevere in ministry - to not let the challenges and struggles in the world make me disobedient to what God has called me to do.

And what's true for me in ministry, is true for all of us, in all areas of our lives. The reality of life is that it comes with significant challenges. The other reality is that it's often easier to quit than to persevere. This is especially true when it comes to our spiritual lives; whether it’s letting God root out habitual sin and surrendering our lives fully to Him, or serving Him in specific areas to which He's called us - even when it’s difficult. The life God calls His children to is a challenging one - and the enemy can make it seem like we'll never be able to make it through. But the Galatians 9 passage reminds us is that if we keep following God in doing what He's called us to do, we WILL make it through. The key is, we need to stay focused on Him, and trusting in His ability to provide all we need. The Apostle Paul emphasizes this point in Philippians 4:13, where he writes: “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.”

So today, let's not let the challenges of life keep us from being obedient to God. Whether it's challenges in our spiritual lives, our work lives, or our relationships - let's stay focused on how God's called us to live. And then let's daily choose live that way, trusting Him to provide all that we need.

Amen?

Daniel