Not Seeing Results?
Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at 10:43AM 
Happy Wednesday, Everyone! Susie Larson here!
And to those visiting, I say welcome! I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way. Each month I give away a $10.00 Starbucks gift card to someone who posts on my blog. So share an insight, bless lots of people, and just maybe you'll win a jolt of java for you and a friend!
Now on to my topic...
Do you ever get weary praying, planting seeds, and waiting for the harvest? Ever wonder when you'll see the fruit of your labor? Or maybe you’re thinking that your efforts, your prayers and your faith have made no difference at all.
I've had a number of conversations recently with people who are weary in the waiting. I’ve been there myself, many times.
I eventually learned that if we don't release our whiteknuckle grip on our need to have things our way in our time, we'll find ourselves tangled up in our thoughts and tripped up by a wrong perspective.
Scripture calls us to pray and keep praying, to believe and keep believing, to speak life, and keep speaking life. But eventually we want to see the results of our efforts, right? There's a little something in all of us that after we've exerted a certain amount of effort, we start to believe that God owes us something.
Maybe we don't dare say that out loud, but if we're honest, there's a little card in our back pocket that we pull out when we've had enough. We hold it up to God and in so many words say, "But what about all I've done? What about all I've tried to do? Would it hurt You to come through for me? Can you give me something?"
Even Job got there eventually. He was an amazing, righteous, godly man. But when he was pushed far enough, he pulled out the card. He listed his acts of righteousness. Who can blame him? He was a righteous man. But then the Lord spoke and Job covered his mouth. He declared, "Surely I spoke of things too wonderful for me."
Here's the thing. Saving faith in Jesus alone makes us righteous. Every good thing comes from Him. Apart from Him, we can do no good thing. Without Him, we don't have a leg to stand on. Even as we grow in Him, we must find our secure footing on Him alone. How easy it is to shift our weight to our efforts, our recent righteousness, or our consistent faithfulness. But we must not. We live faithfully, because He is faithful in us.
In due time we will reap a harvest of righteousness, a breakthrough to our prayers, and blessings for our obedience if we do not give up. His promises are true and so those principles are true. But those breakthroughs are determined by God's wisdom and timing. If we shift our weight onto our efforts and begin to expect something before its time, or feel entitled to something that God hasn't given us yet, we'll step onto a rug that the enemy can pull out from under us.
We are bondservants of the Most High God. He is overwhelmingly good to us. Still, we serve Him on His terms, His timing, and according to His highest and best will for us.
I've learned not to 'do the math' so to speak when I find myself in a weary place. When I consider all I've invested in a certain person or situation, and see no fruit from my faithfulness, I can so easily despair; and when I let myself go there, I get weak. At such times it's especially important to step back, to put a flag in the ground, and to declare the faithfulness of Almighty God no matter how barren the field might appear.
The results belong to God. Diving timing belongs to God. Breakthroughs, increase, and seasons belong to God. Mine is to obey, His is to do everything else.
If you're not seeing results, it's because you're not ready for them. Obedience in this place is first to submit to God. Then, resist the enemy's taunts to engage in despair, discouragement, self-pity, or entitlement. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (See James 4:7).
God gave us everything when He gave us His Son. He owes us nothing. He deserves our highest praise and our absolute trust. The faithful soul will put a flag in the ground and declare, "Though I can't see Him, I know He's with me. Though the barns are empty, I will praise Him. I know He'll one day fill them. Though my loved one's heart seems far away, I trust God will one day draw her near. I'm not moving from this place of faith. God will bring the breakthrough when He'll get the most glory and when I'm most ready for it."
Psalm 126:5-6 says this ~ Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.
Galatians 6:9 says this ~ Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
1 Corinthians 15:57-58 says this ~ But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.
May we press on, in His Name!
~Until next week...
Reader Comments (8)
I've pulled that card. Plenty, I tell you.
Loved this: "The faithful soul will put a flag in the ground and declare, "Though I can't see Him, I know He's with me."
My husband is a farmer, and each year, I am reminded anew how we plant all sorts of seeds, but that grand bursting forth from the ground is the work of God alone. Spring reminds me of my need for farmer-style surrender.
Dear Susie, Thank you so much for this word today!! I really needed to hear it!! My husband started his own architectural firm about 5 yrs. ago. Little did we know that the economy would "tank out" and the construction industry was hardest hit. It has been a very hard 5 years for us and sometimes we get very discouraged. He works many long hours and works very hard only to experience hardship after hardship with everything from clients not paying or big projects never going through. Like I said, there are many times we are depressed, tired, discouraged, wanting to give up but then we are reminded that God is in control and He is faithful. Over the past 5 years we have seen God work in miraculous ways, providing for us in ways we would never dream. Do we have what we want. No, but we certainly have our needs provided for. I have to be honest that sometimes I do get the attitude of "God, we have been faithful to you, we've worked hard, we've believed in You to provide for us and yet we fall farther behind in our bills and nothing ever seems to go our way". After reading your blog I was convicted of pulling that card on God. I need to ask Him for forgiveness and no longer feel like God owes me something. I plan on sharing your blog with my husband as well. Thank you again for speaking truth and being His messenger!!
Blessings, Karen Carlson
Thank you for this!! How did you know...? ;)
I really enjoyed reading your blog today!
Susie,
I love this topic! Waiting is so unpopular. It seems that we should make things happen to accomplish our own agendas. I had a friend tell me I was ridiculous to wait to see how a friendship might develop. She said I should ask him out; what was I waiting for? But the time of waiting was so rich. It allowed for God to meet me in fresh ways that I would have missed had I moved ahead and not waited. (Even when the answer is no!) Thank you for the encouragement!
Such a timely article! I'm in the midst of encouraging and praying for my almost 30 year old son as he faces some of life's most tremendous obstacles. Thankfully, his relationship with God has grown by leaps and bounds and he constantly reminds ME God's promises are true, yesterday, today and forever. Sometimes, I'm afraid he can sense a weariness in my voice as I continually remind him, to, "hang in there, joy will come in the morning." And it's as much a reminder for myself as it is for him! But this time of earnest prayer has led me on my own journey as a christian mother to experience God's grace in ways that leave me inspired and filled with joy. Thank you for the encouragement to keep on keeping on!
It's been a spiritually weary kind of day today and your blog just stated the same thing my Bible Study stated this a.m. - same verses and all. Thanks for the encouraging words. Time for self-pity to end. Thank you Lord that your hand is always on me and I can trust your perfect timing.
Thank you for reminding me that the results, the timing,the breakthroughs, the seasons all belong to God. I needed to hear that it is all in His Hands. Not only am I to submit and obey but I am to press in during my times of waiting and remember His Promises rather than give myself the luxury of wallowing in self pity or despair. Proclaiming His promises to a reluctant will helps me overcome my battle of self. Thanks for your blog and for your book "Alone in Marriage" that I am presently reading. It has been a wonderful help.