by Linzy Slayden
I used to mock people who played peek-a-boo with little babies. But I confess I did it with all four of my children and all nine of my grandchildren.
It’s a silly game, but I was reminded of it this week when I was studying my Bible. I’m not implying in any way that God is playing games, but I am telling you, sometimes you’re going along, not even aware God is doing anything at all and then, like a mighty river that was rushing underground, all of a sudden, God breaks through the surface. And it’s like, “Peek-a-boo!” And all we can say is, “Wow! I never saw that coming!”
One of the great challenges of the ministry is trying to break the human addiction to sight. What we hope we see is God’s people growing to the place where we know by faith that God is at work even if we are not seeing it.
Let me share with you four lessons I have learned.
- Don’t quit or you’ll miss the miracle. In these examples and others, it is evident God was at work even though they didn’t see it. We can be like that too. Are you going through a tough time in your life or ministry? The promise is that God is still there and you are not forgotten.
- Don’t let your feelings dictate your faith. Are you riding an emotional rollercoaster? What’s God doing? Why is God allowing this? Up and down we go. Humanly speaking we look at the situation these folks found themselves in and we feel compassion. We also have the advantage of looking ahead and seeing the great things God was going to do for them. But in the moment, they couldn’t see it. Don’t let your feelings dictate your faith. Emotions make good friends but they are lousy leaders.
- Choose the right: God blesses obedience. I am saddened by the reports of fulltime ministry workers succumbing to temptations and pressures to sin. May God help us be men and women of integrity and do what’s right and honest in the sight of God. Draw a line and make a choice, “I’m not going there!” or “I’m not doing that!” or “I’m not thinking that way.”
- Step out in faith, God will reward you. This is the theme I see throughout the Scriptures. It can be scary, but God says he will bless us when we step out in faith.
I think it important we break the addiction to only trust God when we see Him at work. And don’t be surprised when Peek-a-boo — God comes through!