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Keeping Focus September 2010 |
I've been strolling down memory lane lately, rereading my prayer journal, looking for nuggets and experiences that I can incorporate into a course I am writing on prayer.
Something dawned on me in the process that has to do with perspective.
A good majority of the entries have no direct "answer" associated with them. At least not something that can be tied directly to that one prayer. For many, many years I prayed the prayers found in Paul's letters for my children. I can see them beginning to come to pass now - partly from prayer and partly from so many other factors. Since so much of what we do in homeschooling is like this, I thought it would be good to bring this reminder to you. We live in a culture that evaluates its priorities based upon immediate results. This race to produce can rob us of investing in eternal things. For me, it is so hard sometimes to find time to get alone with God, in that secret place under His wing, to spend time investing in prayer. I feel as if I am praying on the run so much. But then again, that's better than no praying at all. Prayer time, like Bible reading, can have its dry time, where you feel as if you are just going through the motions. I know looking back that I wondered if it was worth it, if I was just fooling myself and wasting my time. Looking back through the journal, though, I can tell it was well worth it. I just couldn't see it at the time. And in some cases, for some time. Some of these things go way back. Yet here I sit, totally infused with assurance of God's faithfulness. Prayer is investing. So is homeschooling. It's sowing and reaping. And sometimes we overlook that. What we sow today will require an entire season of growth before the results are manifested. How long the growing season is for that particular seed we do not know. But God, the ultimate Husbandman, does. Sowing can be extremely mundane, boring, and menial. Rarely are the benefits of sowing seen at the time. Authentic spiritual harvest is rarely instantaneous. But this we must know, if we sow diligently, we will reap diligently (see 1 Corinthians 9). Galatians 6:9 encourages us not to grow weary in well-doing. It may seem strange to bring up “growing weary” at a time when most of us are refreshed from the summer break and chomping at the bit, excited about getting started with the new academic year. Yet, it’s a matter of perspective. When the excitement wears off, I hope that you will see that you are in the growing season, when even the sprout is not yet visible. We are sowing matters of character, matters of the mind, and matters of the spirit that are not always readily apparent. If we sow, we shall reap. © Elenathewise - Fotolia.com 490 words To view more 'Keeping Focus' Articles please 'Log In' and visit the 'Achives' page. |
