Faithfulness

Ronnie has been home from work for five days and during that time he has preached twice, Wednesday evening and this afternoon at the rest home. The major theme in his two sermons was faithfulness. And how being faithful is the most simple, yet the most difficult thing for us to do. God has promised to give us all that we need and provide for us and all He asks in exchange is for us to love Him and do His will. So simple. But so few are able to do it. We get caught up in trying to do everything ourselves.

Since the end of May I have been struggling with the decision to stay home this year or go back to work. It seems that no matter where I turn I read things or hear things about how God is faithful to provide our needs, but I kind of pushed them to the back of my mind. Instead, I spent my time calculating and recalculating the monthly bills with Ronnie's income, trying to figure out ways that I could make money while staying with the boys, developing plans for how I would deliver and pick up three children in various places and teach 80+ other children each day all while maintaining a home with a husband out of town many days.

Ronnie's sermon Wednesday hit me hard. I even asked him why he drug me to church to preach to me when he could have done it at home. We talked about it some this week while we were on vacation, but we didn't really set anything in stone. Then after his sermon this afternoon we talked some more and decided that I would make a few phone calls tomorrow to find out some information relating to my work. But then this evening as I had a few quiet moments and was reading through a few blogs, I found a link to a page on Facebook called Above Rubies. I started reading and checked out the administrator's beliefs and then I found this passage:

I CAN’T AFFORD TO WORK

Today I answer another comment from the post, I LOVE HOME. A mother writes, “I wish that this was the case for me, but we can't afford for me to stay home.” Why are these words such a common reply? I think it is because we feel we have to take things into our own hands to make it work. We don’t think that God is able! That’s the bottom line. 

That’s rather challenging, isn’t it? Especially when we read the words in Psalm 78:19-22, “Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? … Can he give bread also? Can he provide flesh for his people? … Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth… because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation.”

When we don’t believe that God can provide, we are really confessing that we don’t trust Him and that He s not sufficient for our needs. And yet, isn’t He God? The God of the universe. The God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills. The God who has promised to provide for the fruit of the womb.

I know it can be scary when you wonder where the next meal is coming from. And we all go through seasons, just as Paul did (Philippians 4:11-13). There were times when he abounded and times when he was abased. We’ve faced the same thing many times. I remember one time in my life when we had no money coming in and I thought that I would help out the situation! Help, Nancy Campbell didn’t trust God! Shame!

I could never imagine my getting a full time job out of the home, but I thought I’d do a few cleaning jobs to bring in a little extra (my children were mostly grown by this time). I was dutifully doing this when a woman of God challenged me. She said I was actually blaspheming the Word of God and not being an example to the younger women. At first, I was most put out. “Who does she think she is?” I thought. “She doesn’t know our situation.”

But, then the Holy Spirit used her words to speak into my heart. I realized she was right! I confessed to the Lord and immediately stopped these little jobs that took me out of the home. The amazing thing is that it didn’t change a thing! I noticed no difference when I was trying to bring in a little extra money than when I trusted God! God could do better than what I could do!

Why is it we think we can do a better job than God? God doesn’t require sacrifice, but obedience. When we obey Him and trust Him we will experience His faithfulness. That doesn’t mean we will always be abounding, but we will never starve!

To the dear mothers in this situation where you are out working and yet long to be home, I want to encourage you. Please, take a step of faith and obedience. You will wait for the rest of your life for the circumstances to be right before you can come home! Your circumstances will never be perfect. You will never think you have enough money without your wage. You have to take a step of faith. You have to act in obedience. You have to give your notice, and then you will see what God can do.

While you try to do it in your own strength, God has to step back and let you do it your way. He can only show you His faithfulness and His provision when you let Him take over! Try it and see! I would love to hear the hundreds of testimonies from those who have seen God’s provision as they have taken this step of faith.

Instead of “we can’t afford for me to stay home, “ my husband always says, “We can’t afford for my wife to be in a career and leave the home. Too much is at stake!” When the mother is out of the home, the enemy and destroyer of souls has a chance to influence our children. We as mothers are watch dogs of our children and our homes. A watch dog is of no worth if he is not at home. We can’t leave our post. Our children, the nation, and future generations are dependent on us!


I seriously sat at the computer and cried. Ronnie got worried and wanted to know what was going on, thinking someone had sent me an upsetting message or something. I didn't know what else to say so I read the passage to him. His only comment was, "So, do you know what you have to do?" 


What an awesome and amazing God we serve! He knows what we need and when to deliver it to us!