"Persistence pays," people say. "If at first you don't succeed, try and try again." The English language is littered with such cliches. I have found if at first we don't succeed, it is not long before we are looking for a new or different method. A cricket player will hire a new coach to help his batting, and may even adopt a different stance. It has also been mused that a definition of insanity is to continue doing the same thing hoping for a different result. We come closer to the truth when these cliches are combined. There are fundamental truths which cannot be denied, like a batsman in cricket should bring his bat to the crease. A batsman cannot bat without it, and a return to basic fundamentals will help him find his way back to top form.
Abram (later called Abraham) had been given a promise by God that through him all nations of the earth would be blessed. God had promised Abraham his wife Sarai (whom later God named Sarah) would have a son. The problem was, Sarah had been barren for decades. I am sure they did what is common for people to do today who struggle to conceive. Perhaps they ate certain foods or avoided others, choosing particular days to "try" to conceive the baby they desperately wanted. They did believe God's promise, even when persistence didn't seem to pay the desired dividends. They tried and tried for years without success. Finally their patience reached a breaking point in Genesis 16:1-2: "Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, "See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her." And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai."
It seems Sarah and Abraham put pressure on themselves to conceive and bear a son. Their actions showed they did not believe God's promise or agree with His timing. Abraham listened to the suggestion of his wife and sired a son through Hagar rather than remembering God's promise and doing his part in faith. Lack of apparent fruitfulness led to Abraham venturing beyond his calling as a husband in order to fulfill their dream of having a son. I believe this same error can be made in Christian ministry. God has called us to minister, serve, preach the Word, make disciples of Jesus, and to speak the truth in love. Because fruitfulness is never immediate - or even seems to persist for years - we can be tempted to depart from God's calling and adopt programs or popular approaches to foster this growth. Worldly methods may produce what some would call "fruit," but cannot bring the fulfillment of the promises God has made to us.
The passage of time provides a great test of our faith and steadfastness in obedience. Many start well, but there are few who joyfully finish their race with endurance as Paul did. It is possible that along the way we will begin to drift from complete reliance on God's Word and the Holy Spirit. We can think increase depends upon our performance rather than God's grace. Because our patience has been exhausted in desperation we can take matters into our own hands, willing to try anything to bring about the results we hope for. Galatians 6:7-10 reads, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith."
We all have room to mature and grow in faith, taking new ground in obedience to Jesus. But let us not lose heart because our efforts in ministering unto the LORD do not seem to be having the effect we desire. Let us heed the command and promise of God, that if we continue to sow the good seed of God's Word we will reap a fruitful harvest. Do not lose heart, believer! Good questions to consider are considering stubborn barrenness is: 1) what am I sowing? and 2) where am I sowing? We can trust God and His promises, for He who promised is able to perform - even when we are not able (Romans 4:12). Praise the LORD for the fruitfulness which comes to those who persistently trust and obey God.
Abram (later called Abraham) had been given a promise by God that through him all nations of the earth would be blessed. God had promised Abraham his wife Sarai (whom later God named Sarah) would have a son. The problem was, Sarah had been barren for decades. I am sure they did what is common for people to do today who struggle to conceive. Perhaps they ate certain foods or avoided others, choosing particular days to "try" to conceive the baby they desperately wanted. They did believe God's promise, even when persistence didn't seem to pay the desired dividends. They tried and tried for years without success. Finally their patience reached a breaking point in Genesis 16:1-2: "Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, "See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her." And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai."
It seems Sarah and Abraham put pressure on themselves to conceive and bear a son. Their actions showed they did not believe God's promise or agree with His timing. Abraham listened to the suggestion of his wife and sired a son through Hagar rather than remembering God's promise and doing his part in faith. Lack of apparent fruitfulness led to Abraham venturing beyond his calling as a husband in order to fulfill their dream of having a son. I believe this same error can be made in Christian ministry. God has called us to minister, serve, preach the Word, make disciples of Jesus, and to speak the truth in love. Because fruitfulness is never immediate - or even seems to persist for years - we can be tempted to depart from God's calling and adopt programs or popular approaches to foster this growth. Worldly methods may produce what some would call "fruit," but cannot bring the fulfillment of the promises God has made to us.
The passage of time provides a great test of our faith and steadfastness in obedience. Many start well, but there are few who joyfully finish their race with endurance as Paul did. It is possible that along the way we will begin to drift from complete reliance on God's Word and the Holy Spirit. We can think increase depends upon our performance rather than God's grace. Because our patience has been exhausted in desperation we can take matters into our own hands, willing to try anything to bring about the results we hope for. Galatians 6:7-10 reads, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith."
We all have room to mature and grow in faith, taking new ground in obedience to Jesus. But let us not lose heart because our efforts in ministering unto the LORD do not seem to be having the effect we desire. Let us heed the command and promise of God, that if we continue to sow the good seed of God's Word we will reap a fruitful harvest. Do not lose heart, believer! Good questions to consider are considering stubborn barrenness is: 1) what am I sowing? and 2) where am I sowing? We can trust God and His promises, for He who promised is able to perform - even when we are not able (Romans 4:12). Praise the LORD for the fruitfulness which comes to those who persistently trust and obey God.
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