2 Timothy 4:1-2 (NIV): In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
I’m at one of those places again. Moving forward. Usually when that happens something comes up. A monkey wrench. A show stopper. A day destroyer. A week killer. (At the risk of overkill, I’ll move on.) But I know you’ve been there.
It was Sunday night and my kids had runny noses and my son appeared to have a slight fever. I was getting perturbed because I was pretty sure that one or both of my kids would have to stay home from daycare for part of the week. Translation: pastor daddy is staying home and my week is shot. Then my loving wife began to remind me to claim the promises of God. Hearing your own words can be annoying and difficult to apply especially when emotions are rising. If you’re like me, the road to victory/success always seems to be arrayed with heartbreak, grief, or annoyances like construction zones on the freeway.
It is then – it is right now – when the practicing the principles of God’s word counts. Sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with others is a must for believers. Likewise, preaching to ourselves (literally), correcting ourselves, and encouraging ourselves in the Lord is also a must. Frustration takes over when we lose faith in the fact that God is in control, that Jesus is our Advocate, the Holy Spirit our Helper, and that God’s word is true. Reading, memorizing, quoting, believing the Bible and living by the promises found in them changes the way we think and takes frustration out of play.
Bottom line: We are to live for God when it is easy or popular (in season) and when it is not (out of season). This always leads to true victory.
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Note: Thankfully, I claimed God’s promises that night and preached to myself that this is what the journey is about. That changed my outlook for the better. Good thing… my kids have been home with me from Sunday until now.
