As I wait for you, maybe I’m made more faithful.
Brooker Fraser, a singer and musician from New Zealand, compiled a beautiful song entitled ‘Faithful’. The line above is from the chorus of this song. I encourage you to close your eyes and allow the Lord to speak to you as you listen to this piece of music.
Faithfulness. Being faithful. Becoming faithful. Showing faithfulness in everything we are and in all that God has given us. He calls us to be faithful with the things that are in our hands right now. To be faithful in the present.
It is ingrained in human nature to never be satisfied. To always want more. To believe that what is happening in the present is never enough.
We want our children to be older. Will they ever grow up and stop being so exhausting, worrying and confusing?
We want our jobs to change. Will I ever have enough hours? Or less hours? When will my workload be just right? Why does that other job look so enticing?
We want our homes to be different. It’s too big. It’s too small. It doesn’t meet our current needs.
We want to see change in our church. There are too many people. Our congregation is too small. There’s not enough joy. Our services go on way too long.
We believe the grass is always greener. The other side of the fence looks so much better.
But that’s a complete lie.
Listening to the truth
More often than not, when the Lord plants me in the right places, in the right time, the enemy begins to quietly whisper in my ear.
‘You’re much more than this. You can do greater. Look over there and see what they have and are doing. You’ve got it wrong.’
My disquiet begins to spiral. The discontent settles in. I focus on what may look greener, but in fact, is not my paddock. God does not want me walking onto the paddocks belonging to others.
There is another still, small voice that I hear faintly.
‘You are in the right place. This is what I have called you to do. This is where you are meant to be. Be faithful in these things. Be faithful in the big and the small. I have entrusted you with what is in your hands.’
I am reminded of a long-time friend and mentor who has shown so much faithfulness throughout her life. She has had tremendous difficulties, much beyond what many can bear. Bringing up a delightful Downs Syndrome daughter into a level of independence in adulthood. Significant health issues with all of her daughters. And also losing her youngest girl at the age of fifteen years.
Yet throughout these incredibly hard situations, time after time, I have seen so much loyalty and allegiance to her family, to others around her, and most of all, to her Lord.
I am so thankful to God for people like her in my life. The epitome of faithfulness. They have listened to that still small voice and heeded every word.
It is too easy to slip into the mode of comparison. God has moulded our lives as fit for His purposes. It can be hard not to ask questions. In this life, we may never know why our situations occur.
Yet we remain faithful to Him as the potter. We are the clay with imperfections and faults. What is of real value is what is inside of us and how He is shaping our love for Him.
“But now, Lord, You are our Father;
We are the clay, and You our potter,
And all of us are the work of Your hand.”
(Isaiah chapter 64, verse 8)
His situation for your life right now is how it needs to be - right now. He is using these opportunities to grow what is inside you.
And one day, when this earthly life ends and eternity with Him begins, your faithfulness will be made perfect.