Because: Your Reason to Keep Going

Posted on March 21, 2013 | 5 comments

Sometimes, a dream is born.

You pursue it with everything you’ve got, and it’s easy to pour into it, because you thrive on it. You feel alive in the serving in it. You pray and you know—it was God who laid this dream on your heart. Just like the verse says, right?

“Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

What divinely appointed desire he gave your heart!

You work and you work and you worship and endeavor and learn and work some more.
 
 
 
 

Time goes by. You begin to dwindle in enthusiasm, feel the burn of exhaustion perhaps.

You’ve poured so much of yourself into it you’re not sure how much more you can give. But still, you cling to the knowledge that it was God who put the desire there, and you serve him in your obedience to follow, even after the luster of the new dream has dulled and the trenches are dug a bit deeper.

You worship by obeying, and it’s beautiful to Him. You sacrifice by pressing on even as it gets difficult. You cling to these two letters:

“Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

…and recall that it is for Him that you do this.

You press on.
 
 
 
 

Time goes by. Now the terrain has grown rocky. There have been injuries along the way, heart-wrung moments, and you can’t help but wonder—is this even what you’re supposed to be about? Where is the delight from the days of the newborn-dream? Where is the thrill?

You come before Him, cry out, question. How I imagine His Father’s heart aches along with ours… And faithful, so faithful is He, to breathe purpose back into you when you think you’ve lost every shred of the “reason why”.

Because.

Because He loves us. Because He designed this work for us, and us for this work, to be drawn closer to Him. To reach the people He yearns for. Because, my friend, He delights in us.

And Because – even when the calling is hard and the road is rough – we can delight in Him. And lest we forget, that is the first part of this verse:

“Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

Oh, when we begin to remember what He’s done for us, what He’s redeemed in us… the delight sparks. When we look back and remember what He’s already brought us through, we can cling to the knowledge that He does not change, and He will not leave us floundering.

We can remember that what He’s begun, He will complete.

And there is joy. Joy even in the uphill climbs, the apparent setbacks, the wounded moments. There is Joy, for He is there.

Where else would we go? Like the disciples: though the road is daunting—

“Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life.” John 6:68

He called you. He is there.

And that is why.

That’s your reason to keep going.

You are not alone, my friend. He who called you is there with you. And He will be faithful.

The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:24