I stressed out. I lost sleep. I lost time with my family. I got sick. I did too much work and thought it was a price I had to pay to do my calling.
I believed I received specific instructions from God on the steps to take regarding my ministry (High3r.com) but I got impatient. I felt that my ministry was not as successful as I wanted it to be.
So, I experimented. I worked hard on the schemes and strategies recommended by social media influencers. I did trial and error and did not make any significant progress.
In failure, I realised that I was burning out because I started doing something that I wasn’t passionate about. I lost my purpose. Working hard and failing made me realise I need to go back to doing what I’m called to do, which is to share stories that promote positivity and spread the love of Jesus.
To get back on track, I enrolled in a digital marketing course to learn skills, concepts and strategies for High3r.com.
The funny thing about the course I took was it only confirmed the instructions that God gave me in the first place, to do the things that I am passionate about.
This experience reminded me of Abraham. The Bible says:
Genesis 15:5
New International Version (NIV)
5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
God promised Abraham that his offspring would be as numerous as the stars, although Abraham and his wife Sarah were too old to have children. Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.
When the promise was not fulfilled after a while, Sarah asked Abraham to have a child with Sarah’s handmaid Hagar to “help” God fulfil the promise. Abraham obeyed and Hagar gave birth to Ishmael. After many years, Sarah gave birth to Isaac which fulfilled the promise of God.
The birth of Isaac caused chaos in Abraham’s household which led Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away. This decision still has implications to this day, as the Jews, who are the descendants of Isaac, and the Arabs, who are the descendants of Ishmael, are still fighting over territory in Palestine.
When we get impatient with God’s plan for us and try to do things our way, we put unnecessary weight on our shoulders and possible negative consequences. Here are verses that will encourage us to stay patient while waiting on the promises of God:
Ecclesiastes 3:11
He has made everything beautiful in its time.
We don’t give steak to babies, regardless if it’s Kobe beef, because they can’t digest it yet. In the same way, we need to trust in God’s perfect timing for our breakthrough. He will give the blessing when we are ready.
Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not feel faint.
Have faith that God will give us enough strength to be patient while we wait. When it gets hard or confusing, we should take the time to pray and read the Bible. He will direct our paths.
1 Samuel 12:16
Now therefore, stand still and see this great thing that the Lord will do before your eyes.
Have hope that God has something great in store for us and great things take time. Elephants’ pregnancy lasts for 2 years while dogs’ pregnancy lasts for 2 months. Dog-sized blessings happen every day, but if we want elephant-sized blessings, then we must be willing to wait.
John 13:7
Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”
Understand that God’s timing is hidden to us for a lot of reasons. Have faith that it’s hidden for our benefit. When the promise comes to pass, we will look back to the journey and say, “I get it now.” Trust God because His ways are higher than our ways. God knows better.
God’s plan for us will come to pass. The when and how could be a mystery but God is in control. We need to be patient and trust in God’s timing.
Thank you for reading this devotional story and I pray that it encouraged and empowered you in your walk with Christ. Please read other devotional stories on the website. You might find Beyond Fathom, Burn Out, God is in Control, and In Everything Give Thanks interesting.
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