If you are a friend of mine on facebook, you've probably noticed that I have been reading a book by the pastor of Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, Steven Furtick. The book is called Greater, and it has really helped me to broaden some horizons, to check myself in some areas.
Have you ever had something that you have poured tons and tons of prayer into, but it seems as if that situation not only hasn't gotten any better, but in fact, it has gotten worse than it was before you even started praying? How does this happen? I haven't worked that part out yet, but one thing that I have learned is to not give up praying. How unintelligent (chose that one because stupid is a mean word...) would it be to give up on a situation after months or even years of praying for it; even after one setback, no matter how major that setback may have been, it would be ridiculous to 'fold the tent.'
One of the things Pastor Furtick says in this book is "The journey toward greater things is marked with setbacks and real suffering. Sometimes as your faith is getting greater, your situation is getting worser." Now I don't condone the usage of the word worser (even though it once was considered appropriate to use... look it up), but that statement made me realize, by stopping prayer for the situation, I could stop the growth of my faith in that situation.
Do I believe that sometimes God says "Let it go." Yes, I do believe that. Somethings aren't in his plan for our lives, but I also believe that when that point comes, He will give you an answer, a clear answer. Even if that answer is one word, (to steal another phrase from this book) "When God is the one talking to you, one word is more than enough."
If that word is "Stop," then that is more than enough for you to focus your praying energies into another situation. But if that word is "Continue," is that enough for us to really... continue on? If you think about it like this, Peter jumped out of the boat to walk on water at one word from Jesus, "Come." But the question is, are we willing to jump at one word from our God?"
I know, in my life, I look for some details. While God doesn't do the details, he has already done them. We aren't asked to worry with them because they are already taken care of. We are asked simply to 'come' or 'continue' or even sometimes to 'stop.'
So instead of throwing countless hours of faith building prayer down the drain, continue on. After a month or so of... (enter throat clear here)... taking a break, I think it's time to get the tent stakes back in the ground and build some more faith!
