One morning last week I was awakened by a text message. It was a scripture from a friend. I want to share it with you today.
So, let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessings if we don’t give up. Galatians 6:9 NLT
As I got out of bed, I was meditating on this scripture by pondering it repeatedly. As I did, the Lord reminded me of a time that He did indeed show up at just the right time. It has been many years ago now.
The ministry had been growing to the point that we needed an office space, our first office space. I waited until our monthly income was stable enough to handle the extra expense. We searched for and found a building; it needed some repairs, paint and updating. Therefore, we set about painting and updating. In the beginning, friends and family were on board, showing up daily to help us. However, after a couple weeks, they drifted away, one by one. In the end, it was me and one friend doing all the work, day after day. It was not easy work and it took over a month to update the building and get it ready to move in.
Although I had waited for financial stability to find office space, as soon as we found the building, our finances came under attack. They soon dwindled down to nothing. And I do mean nothing. Here I was in the middle of getting a building ready to move into and we were out of money. It was a desperate time. I would go to bed at night praying and wake up praying. After a week of no breakthrough, I was silently in despair. It was only a couple days before we were to move in, it looked like we would not be able to lease the building after all. The building we had put hundreds of dollars into fixing up.
At the same time, the friend who was helping me had been going through a financial setback as well. She was to the point of purchasing groceries on her credit card. Still, she showed up to help me week after week. I remember the last day we painted like it was yesterday. She was distraught. I was distraught. We weren’t talking about it, we just kept doing what we knew to do. We continued to show up each day to paint and update the building. I knew, even if we couldn’t take the building, I could not leave the owners with a building, half done. I was determined to walk in integrity, even if the building wouldn’t be mine. So, I continued to paint.
It was a Friday, the final day before the rent was due. No money had come into the ministry. I planned to finish the building that day and let the owners know where I stood. As normal, we, my friend and I, began to paint. We didn’t talk much, just kept painting. A few hours later I needed to run and get some supplies. I decided to stop at the post office on the way. I expected nothing by this time. I didn’t even open the mail.
I went back to the office to finish painting. I stopped for a moment to look through our mail. I saw a letter for which I didn’t recognize the name. I opened it. In that envelope was a check. A check unlike anything our ministry had received up to that time. It was more than enough money for the next few months, I was astounded. God was so faithful!! We danced all over that building that day. It was a day that sticks in my mind and declares the faithfulness of God. It also declares the truth of the scripture I shared today.
At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessings if we don’t give up.
These are the words of God. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessings if we don’t give up. She and I didn’t give up, we continued to do all we knew to do. We continued painting and moving forward. We continued praying. Even when our faith was hard to come by and our expectation was low, even then, God came through in a big way. It reminds me of a scripture in 2 Timothy 2:13; When we are faith-less, He remains faithful, He cannot deny Himself.
Today, I smile as I think of that day and the faithfulness of my God.
Friends don’t stop doing good. Don’t stop doing what you know to do. Keep believing. Keep giving. Keep tithing, keep honoring God. Keep praying, keep standing in faith. He is faithful and at just the right time, He will show up with a blessing you cannot contain.
You may even think that it is well past breakthrough, I thought that too that day. I was wrong. At just the right time, He showed up and changed everything. He was not a bit concerned about my dilemma. He knew His help was on the way and it would arrive just in time. I am telling you – we had nothing left. It seemed impossible but we never missed a beat. I was astounded that day by the faithfulness of God. He came through and blessed us beyond what I had asked or hoped. It’s just the way He does things. OUR GOD IS FAITHFUL!
We are in a time when God is blessing the faithful. Be one of those. Be faithful to Him, keep moving forward, don’t stop. I know He will do for you what He did for us that day – abundantly above all you can ask or think. It’s just who He is. He rewards the faithful for He cannot deny Himself. I saw it with my own eyes.
