“8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:8-9
During one of my morning devotionals I read where in 1853 a mission society discussed closing a station in Ongole, India, because only ten people had been won to Christ in fifteen years. At that time more than 167 languages were spoken in that area. This area had been called the “Lone Star” church of India. Only two men on the mission board, one of whom was Samuel F. Smith, author of the song, “My Country ‘Tis of Thee,” pleaded not to abandon the continued support of this work. Before the vote was taken to dissolve the work, Mr. Smith wrote a poem and read it to his colleagues on the board:
“Shine on. Lone Star, in grief and tears, and sad reverses
oft baptized;
Shine on amid thy founders’ fears; lone stars in heaven
are not despised.”
As a result, the men voted unanimously to continue the ministry and because of this decision God worked and hundreds of people in India became believers. Thirty years later the Ongole church had grown to 15,000 members. The Lord had another plan for the “Lone Star” church and marvelously rewarded the efforts of all who had patiently labored in the region.
F.B. Meyer once said, “There is no succession of time with God; no past, no future. He dwells in the eternal present, as I am.” Are you discouraged because you may not be experiencing fruit in your God-appointed vineyard? Have you thought about resigning your ministry because nothing seems to be happening? Have you quit casting a vision before your people because no one seems to care? Have you lost the excitement that you first had when called to your particular ministry? Yes, God does use such circumstances at times to nudge us on to different ministries, but sometimes it is just the devil discouraging us to the point where we just want to give up. Over the years I have learned that with God something is always happening, even if we do not see it. Maybe we need to pray more? Trust more? Work more? For sure we need to wait more! While living in a “Hurry Up World” we must be careful not to forget that the Lord is patiently working out HIS plan (II Pete 3:8-9). Lincoln said, “I am a slow walker, but I never walk backwards!” The great believers have been unwearied waiters! There is no time wasted in waiting IF you are waiting on the will of God!