February 5, 2017
Staying Faithful, No Matter What
This post, about six months old, was one of my favorite posts I wrote. I don’t know why, but maybe because I need to be reminded of it so often. Staying faithful, is my biggest challenge. I seem to live in fear and doubt so often. So maybe I wrote this, so God would remind me six months later, to remain faithful, no matter what.
Sunday in church and Monday morning during
staff devotions I was thinking about sharing this. I am not sure how to explain
what I am thinking and not sure how it will come across, but here goes.
I was wondering how does one approach a dry spell in a Christian walk? What do we do when are not growing spiritually or even feel like we have declined in our spiritual walks? Most of us can remember when we were that wide-eyed, innocent young Christian to whom nothing seemed impossible with God.
But sometimes our Bible reading seems
empty. We read because we are supposed
to. We know how to pray, or so it
seems. We have the right words to say,
but maybe we feel like nobody is listening.
We can recall moments when we knew without a doubt that God had spoken
to us, but that was a long time ago. When
we are in a worship time, we see some that have joy flooding their whole being,
and we long to feel that again. We even
listen to preaching and don’t feel conviction.
Often we are there, but not really a part of the Christian community
surrounding us.
Sunday, I was a part of a beautiful worship service and Pastor Percy preached a good sermon from the Book of Revelation; but I started thinking of a sermon Pastor Godwin preached back in the early 80s about what you do when you go through that dry spell. I remember most clearly, him saying to God, while walking the beach in Panama, that though he might not ever feel God working through him again, that he’d stay faithful, just because of what God had already done. Little did he know that it was just the beginning of his ministry. He is still going strong today, in his eighties.
Many people have given up when they go through a dry spell. I know two men, my grandfather and stepfather, who gave up being preachers when they hit one. So what should our response be?
Psalm 84 says, “What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord…When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs. The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings. They will continue to grow stronger and each of them will appear before God.”
If you are in the desert, that Valley of
Weeping, and feel lost, stop and dig a well.
Here is what I mean by dig a well.
Continue to pray, even if you feel nothing. Go through the motions during worship and
listen to the sermons. Read your Bible,
even if you get nothing out of it. Decide
to stick with God. Stay faithful, no
matter what. I must emphasize, even if
you feel nothing.
God is faithful. He won’t leave you in the Valley. Maybe, have you ever considered this, maybe He has you in that Valley for someone you will encounter in the future. Maybe God is letting you go through this, so He can use you to guide someone out of the Valley. This is what I mean by digging the well. You are in the desert, but dig that well of prayer, Bible reading, worship, and learning, so one day you can go back there and give refreshment to someone lost in the Valley like you are now.
We sang this song in devotions Monday. It seemed to fit so well with what I wanted to say, and it almost always brings me to tears. You know it; sing it with me.
Great is Thy Faithfulness, O God my Father. There is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not. As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see; all I have needed Thy hand hath provided. Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest, sun, moon, and stars in their courses above, join with all nature in manifold witness to Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide; strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see; all I have needed Thy hand hath provided. Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.
I know my momma knows this by heart. I can hear her standing beside me, singing it
with such love and devotion.
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