Abundant Life or a Slow Death

“All I want in life is such circumstances

as may best enable me to serve thee in the world;

To this end I leave all my concerns in thy hand,

but let me not be discouraged,

for this hinders my spiritual fervency;

Enable me to undertake some task for thee,

for this refreshes and animates my soul,

so that I could endure all hardships and labours,

and willingly suffer for thy name.

But, O what a death it is to strive and labour,

to be always in a hurry and yet do nothing!”

~Valley of Vision, pg. 176

What do you do when you are in those spiritually dry times?  What do you do when you feel like you are really struggling to keep your head above water both spiritually and physically?  I have a few plan of attacks that I use during those times.  I have to confess that recently I have been struggling in my prayer life.  Not that I am not praying.  I just wonder if it is doing any good or if God is actually listened.  I know I am not the only one.  

I was reading something that a lady in leadership wrote about these kind of times.  She mentioned that she likes to pray through the Puritans’ prayers in Valley of Vision.  Years ago, I did this very thing, but then the book was put on the shelf and I forgot about it.  I immediately went to find it, dusted it off and started praying through it.  

And so today, I came to the prayer that an excerpt is from at the beginning of this post.  Sometimes, one of these prayers stops me in the my tracks.  It causes me to ponder, wonder and confess.  It feeds my soul and makes me long for more of God.

There are circumstances in my life that made this jump off the page.  Church problems, language difficulties, the busyness of preparing for our upcoming furlough among other trials.  The Lord knew all of this when He arranged the timing of when I would come to this prayer.  

If I genuinely want to serve the Lord, then I must believe that the circumstances I am in are the best for me to serve in at this time.  This leads me to leave all of my concerns or worries in His capable hands.  

David encouraged his heart in the Lord.  (I Samuel 30:6)  I must also do this if I do not want to be hindered in my spiritual fervency or my service.  When I do this, my service for the Lord will be with a refreshed heart and I will have a new fervor in my soul.  This leads to being able to endure whatever hardships the Lord allows while doing this service . 

This leads to the last statement quoted “But, O what a death it is to strive and labour, “to be always in a hurry and yet do nothing!”  I heard recently that the new “fine” is “busy.”  You know.  Someone asks, “How are you today?” and you respond, “Busy!”  I can’t tell you how many times, I have done this.  It implies that we are always in a hurry.  We have to get to the next task pronto.  If we don’t, it might not get done or at least be done on time.  So we spend our days in a hurry, running from task to task.  At the end of the day, we feel as if we have accomplished nothing.  Ever been there?  

As I thought about this, I was reminded of John 15:5.  “I am the vine, ye are the branches:  He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit:  for without me, ye can do nothing.”  Often when we are rushing around, doing much to serve God, He is far from our thoughts until we hit a brick wall and don’t know how to handle something.  Then we cry out for help.  

So today, I confessed that I don’t want to strive, labour and always be in a hurry doing nothing.  I want to do only the things that God has for me for that point in time and do it in His strength while abiding in Him.  Then I can enjoy that abundant life He came to give me, instead of feeling like I am dying a slow death.  

If you’re struggling, I would like to encourage you to read some of the old treasure books written by those who have gone before us.  Valley of Vision will encourage your heart.  You have to read it slowly in order to comprehend what is being said since the language is more formal than the language we use today.  But slowing down is a good thing…

“I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

~John 10:10

*Kim serves in Japan and posts regularly at Life in the 10/40 Window.