Profit in the Process
I don’t know about you, but there are times when I struggle with actually following through with my goals and plans. There is a certain gratification about sharing good ideas that will provide me with just enough dopamine to stop short of completing the task I set out to accomplish. In short: I am not good with delayed gratification.
“ In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty” - Provers 14:23
We are just a few days into our Known study and you might already be feeling some effects of the toil of studying God’s word and working through some difficult questions. Considering what God’s will is, where He is moving, and how we can join God in kingdom work is not for the faint of heart. You may have entered this week with excitement and passion only to find that you are already feeling some effects of the work that is discipleship and spiritual growth.
I am here today to encourage you to not give up on this study. There is a profit that you will gain in this process that you can’t get any other way. There are plenty of things in our world that may offer you a quick fix, but the Bible says that “mere talk tends only to poverty”. We live in a world that is obsessed with speed and efficiency. Don’t believe me? Just look at how companies talk about new phones, watches, tablets, and computers. They are
“40% faster than last year” and
“the most powerful device we have ever built”. Promises of speed may move inventory, but a transformation of our heart and mind by the power of the gospel will take some time.
Lean in
There is a temptation when you are tired and feeling weary to lie and tell people that you are “fine”. This is not the life that God has called us to live. I love this line from Elevation Worship’s song
Give Me Faith that says, “I may be weak, but Your Spirit's strong in me. My flesh may fail, but my God, You never will”. We don’t have to pretend that we are invincible or never in need of rest;
it is ok to not be ok. Our memory verse for the week (John 15:5) reminds us that Jesus is the vine and we are the branches; we don’t have to sustain the weight of this life alone. In fact, one of the signs of spiritual maturity is that we
lean in and trust God when we are weak.
We are just getting started on this incredible journey through our Known study! There will be times that you are tired and don’t want to participate. There will be times when it will be easier to just stop reading, listening, and asking questions. When those times comes (and they will), don’t get discouraged and walk away. Admit your weakness and lean into what God is doing. Look around and see where God is working, and make time to practice rhythms of rest and grace. At the end of this study, you will be thankful that you stuck with it because
there profit in the process.