I read a blog post recently that gave words to a thought I’ve had for a while now –

the thought that when we ‘know’ God’s Word, His Truth – and by know, I mean intellectually – but we don’t ever put it into practice – we don’t experience the truth of it – that we open ourselves up to doubt.

Doubt -faith decay

We allow room for our broken, fallen nature & the enemy to come in and question whether or not what we know to be real is really real.

Does it really mean something?

Does it really transform lives?

Because it’s not transforming me…it’s not changing my life. It’s not making others thirsty around me for what I have.

I think this happens a lot when we don’t persevere in what God has put before us. We don’t experience the power and the blessing and the Presence of God like we would if we were obedient to put our hands to the tasks He sets before us.

Now, please don’t misunderstand me. I’m a grace girl. It’s by grace that I have been saved, through faith, not of anything that I have done, but by a gift from God Almighty, not by works – so I can never boast that I have done it. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

I absolutely believe that God has made a way for me to be reunited with Him & my life is to be lived in response to that, as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2).

What I’m referring to today is the truth of Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

We were created to do good things – things that allow us to experience God’s Truth, His Power, His Presence, all around us.

“Things” that show others that don’t know God around us that He is real. That He is love.

And I think that sometimes we, I, forfeit those experiences – those faith-building, God-confirming experienced when I don’t follow through on the “good works” that He has set before me to do.

And maybe worst yet – others don’t experience Him in ways that they could if I were.

Can you relate?

But there is Hope! Today is a new day! A new day to experience God’s Truth by persevering in what He has put before me to do!

“My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.” – Lamentations 3:20-24

Persevere in doing good – don’t give up! Press in and take hold of God’s promises.

Sometimes – most of the time – I don’t follow through with my own, personal goals.

Sometimes -most of the time – I think that I forfeit what God offers on the other end because I don’t finish.

I start out, zealous and motivated. And then slowly, gradually, I start to lose sight of where I’m headed. I allow other things, maybe even ‘good’ things, to enter my schedule, my time, my attention – and I stop. I don’t experience God in ways I could have if I had

but

persevered.

Can you relate? Are there promises in God’s word that you don’t feel you’ve ever taken hold of?

Benefits that He has to offer that you’ve never felt were bestowed on you?

Can you look back and see where maybe you got distracted from pursuing them, pursuing Him?

“You will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD” – Jeremiah 29:13-14a

We have a God that can be found! He doesn’t hide from us, but beckons us to Himself and even draws us to Himself.

“Draw near to Me, and I will draw near to you.” James 4:8

Galatians 6 states that we will reap what we sow. If we persevere in doing good, in seeking God’s way, we will reap God’s way – His benefits, His blessings, Himself.

The Prince of Peace becomes our Peace.

Jehovah Rapha, the Healer, becomes our health.

The great Comforter becomes our comfort.

“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings (Lord, help me to desire this), becoming like Him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 3:7-14

I got the opportunity to meet up with a group of women that, about 2-3 years ago, were a frequent source of encouragement & support to me. These women from my old Wednesday night small group helped me through a lot of ‘stuff’ back then, and I’m very grateful for these women. But as I said, it’s been a while since we’ve had the pleasure of meeting together weekly, and thankfully, God provided an evening that we could carve out a few hours to reconnect with each other.

It was a sweet, precious time of fellowship. One my heart needed badly.

Anyways, one of the women had their little girl with her. She’s newly married, but has been a single mom for some years now.

Strength, that’s all I can say, especially now having my own. I can’t imagine doing it without my husband.

Her little girl had just gotten back from a visit with her dad, who has custody of her older sister. At one point in the evening, as we all sat outside enjoying the beautiful spring evening, she came and crawled up in her mother’s lap, obviously sad about something. And they whispered together as she held her, swinging back and forth in the porch swing. As they whispered , I couldn’t help but sit back and observe.

Since Nat was born, I find myself intrigued at watching other parents and their interactions with their kids.

Then the little girl started to cry, and my friend told her, “Honey, it’s okay to be sad. I know you miss your sister.” As tears rolled down her cheeks, her mom reached over and softly wiped them away.

It was a beautiful, heart-wrenching moment. Motherly comfort. Reassurance that what she was feeling was okay, but that she was also there to help her through it – to not stay there.

It made me think about Natalie. It made me realize that it will tear my heart in two when she cries, and I can’t fix it. When I can’t make the feelings go away. But it also made me realize that I have been blessed. I get to be the one to pull her into my lap, to hold her and wipe away her tears.

WOW. Really? Why me? Why do I get the honor of care-giving for this priceless, precious little girl?

Humbled, I prayed a prayer of gratitude, thanking God for all that He has given me.

When life is so busy, it’s easy to lose sight of all the unique, amazing moments we’ve been given, opportunities to step into the roles that God has placed us in & to fulfill a little bit of the purpose He has for us. Being a part of His story -wiping one tear away at a time.