It’s 02:30 in the morning and I am tossing and turning in my bed. I am thinking of the multitude of projects, challenges and problems in front of me. I decide to get up and seek God’s face. How I need a Map and a Guide!!! Actually, I want to get out from under this unbearable pressure. I feel like giving up, after all I can’t go on like this forever! Why not quit now while the going’s good? Should I not listen to the multitude of voices asking “When are you going to take it easy?”
I start praying … Lord, please help me! Help me to persevere. Help me to keep my eyes on You! Lord please help me with wisdom, insight and understanding… and one by one I start laying my problems at His feet. God likes us to be honest, so I just poured out my heart.
I then opened the Bible and my eyes fell on Isaiah 30:15 “Only in returning to Me and waiting for Me will you be saved; in quietness and confidence is your strength…”
I see a piece I underlined in Oswald Chambers some time ago: ‘Don’t give up because the pain is intense right now. Get on with it and before long you will find that you have A NEW VISION and a NEW PURPOSE!’
I read from Spurgeon where he says that uninterrupted prosperity is a thing to cause fear and trembling and in 1 Peter 1:7 I read that “These trials are only to test your faith, to see whether or not it is strong and pure.” The footnote says that trials teach us patience, build character and help us grow to be the kind of people God wants us to be.
Lord, how much character building can I still take?
Again I look at what I underlined in Jesus Calling where it says ‘Trust Me enough to let things happen without striving to predict or control them! RELAX and REFRESH yourself in the light of My everlasting love….. stop striving to be self-sufficient – learn to rely on Me in EVERY situation.’ Interesting … not quite what I wanted to hear.
I then read from Oswald Chambers ‘Stop following the system of the world…where work insists upon endless energy and activities, but no private life with God! What is important is a personal relationship with Jesus, not public usefulness to others. Spend your time getting rooted and grounded in Jesus!’
Matthew 7:7 comes to mind …”Ask and you will receive…” but not always as we think. Lord help! Lord give! Lord guide! … and God says RELAX. REFRESH yourself in my presence. DEPEND on ME! TRUST ME and learn to rely on ME in every situation.
And then?
Then we will cast away all fear of the future and be like trees along a river bank bearing luscious fruit each season without fail. Our leaves will never wither, and all we do shall prosper (Ps 1:3). Come my friend, join me in trusting the ONE, who alone can be trusted, and we will be refreshed in His company with a new vision and a new purpose!
this is amazing, I have deliverables and pressure but instead I go to google and search God and Business. This is how I stumbled on this website – WOW – Exactly what I needed, I am in awe of Gods faithfulness. I want to say THANK YOU for taking the time and effort to do this Nico!!!!
Thank you. I needed some inspiration.
Dankie Vriend, Mag ons Vader jou dra en krag gee. Dankie vir jou vriendskap en voorbeeld . Ons bid vir jou Mike en Marein
Nico
Thank you for sharing from your heart. It’s not always easy to trust Him In every area of our lives.
Thank you, Thank You, Thank you Oom Nico! I read this on the night I could resonate the most, more like you were feeling where I am. Thanks to my Good Old friend Oom Deon Farmer for passing it on. Both of you have been a Blessing in my life – both personal and professionally! Blessings!
Thabo 🙂
Hi Nico, another great reminder of the basics. It is easy, but yet we (i) make it more difficult as you described it. “Let go and Let God” is not in our nature. Iv learned it the last 6 months (again), and can testify how God turned the tide upon a situation i faced. With no control, no influence, only Trusting Him, turning a corporate situation of BBBEE restructure, (techinally a huge demotion), into a 2nd in command situation. HE remains in control, at all levels of our lives, if we allow Him to. Txs Nico, Keep on motivating us all !!
Thank you Nico for being transparent! We experience seasons of unbelievable prosperity and seasons of unthinkable challenges, but God constantly reminds me to be okay with the fact that I don’t know tomorrow, to take my hands of the steering wheel of my life and just trust Him in the road ahead….then comes peace.
Your blog reminds me of the years when we ran marathons and ultras. The pain can be so very intense, but in completing the race, there is so much satisfaction. As we run this race called “Life”, we can be reminded that we are surrounded by a multitude of saints cheering us on. When we stumble and want to bail out, let’s look at the finish line and the prize on the other side: Our Lord’s satisfaction on completing it well.
Dear Nico!
Thank you for your testimony. It immediately made me think of:
– Is it about taking it easier or submitting it to God?
– Is it about taking on too many challenges or delegating some to the ten around you?
– Is it about my effort or God’s energy to bear fruit in all seasons?
Again, if God is first in everything in my life, especially in my working life, then He will set the boundaries of my day’s work not the world’s expectations or other people!
Live love!
Deon
Thank you.
WOW! Amazing confirmation!
Thanks Nico for baring your soul and sharing so refreshingly honest.
Soli Deo Gloria