Are you feeling frustrated, discouraged, discontented - then be encouraged to keep going for at the proper time you WILL reap a harvest.
Many are the voices I am hearing of frustration, of
when, of what is going on, of disappointment, of wanting more but getting
discouraged but the Lord would say, do not give up in doing good for at the
proper time you will reap a harvest - and I believe that harvest is not long off. The enemy's tactics are to wear out the saints but I want to encourage you - keep going, don't give up, only believe.
In looking at why sometimes frustration etc is there, the Lord showed me that sometimes its because we are looking more at the dreams and visions we have that aren't being fulfilled than looking at the source of our true fulfillment which is only found in Jesus. Philippians 3:7 “But whatever was to my profit I now
consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything
a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord,
for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, 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. “
Christ is our reward not the dreams and visions that
we are awaiting on from which our disappointment, frustration etc. can often
come. If we are seeing and focusing more of the promises then we
have lost sight of our true reward. He is the total fulfillment in
all of life and without him we have nothing.
So lets keep sight of our true reward but also to
keep faith and belief in the promises he has given.
Frustration, disappointment, discouragement etc. actually
are good things, they pushes us into the next thing. You realise you are
not satisfied with where things are at and so you desire and pursue questions
as to why you are not seeing what you want to see. The problem comes when
we don't listen to the answer we may receive and do what the Lord says to do. Or we settle where things are at and
fall into a satisfied or resolved position which steps us out of faith and
keeps us where we are at but no longer as a people of faith and belief in the
God of the impossible. There is always more I believe in
the Lord for me and for those around me as I learn to walk from ‘glory to glory’. I had this question in Africa when I
said to the Lord, "I want to see more" and he said “Well Sarah step
out more and pray for that one with the club foot on crutches that seems
impossible". So I had to action what I believed the Lord said.
Whatever the Lord reveals is the reason for our frustration or
sense of discouragement or discontentment, we need to do something with what he
shows us in order for things to change because the problem lies with us and not
with God. God can and will do what he says he will do, he cannot lie, but
there may be things hindering us in receiving everything we want.
I had a dream a couple of months ago and it was of
a power boat that was tied up on shore and this boy said he could drive the
power boat but when he jumped in and started it, it took off and spun out of
control tipping up the people in the boat and causing damage. We often
think we are ready and can handle the power of God, but like any good father,
he is not going to give you the keys of the car if you don't know how to drive
:) We first need to learn to drive the car before we can be entrusted
with the car on our own. Our daughter is learning to drive the car at the
moment and is currently on a learners license and then she will progress to the
restricted and then to the full. In the weekend Jim taught her how to
change a tyre, check the oil etc. and they were the rules for her before she
was allowed to go for her restricted license so that if she were driving on her
own she could handle some of things that are associated with the car on her
own. We are so often wanting to get in and drive the car, drive the power
boat, thinking we can handle it but there are things we need to learn first
before being entrusted with that power so that others will not get hurt in the
process.
We need to be life long learners and so I would
encourage you if you are in a place of frustration, discontentment,
discouraged, or whatever, firstly give thanks in all circumstances which
encourages you to see that Jesus is working and takes your focus back to him
rather than the dreams and visions which you aren't yet seeing fulfilled but
will happen as you delight yourself in him (Psalm 37). Secondly ask the
questions for your frustration etc and then listen to the answer from the Lord
and then action what he says and allow patience to have its perfect work in you
so that you will be lacking nothing and fully equipped for every good work
(James 1:2-4) that the Lord would have you step into.