Galatians 6:9 ‘And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.’
DAILY READING – Luke 5:1-26; Ezekiel 48; Isaiah 66
Kathryn Kuhlman was one of the greatest ministers of the Gospel, used mightily by God in the last century. However, Kathryn didn’t have a rosy start in ministry. While Kathryn was still a little girl, in 1913, her older sister, Myrtle, married a young, evangelist who was just finishing his course at Moody Bible Institute. And soon, Myrtle and her new husband, Everett Parrott, began an evangelistic tent ministry. About ten years later, in 1924, Myrtle persuaded their parents that it was God’s will for Kathryn to travel with them. And as a teenager, Katherine left home to travel on preaching tours with her sister and brother in law. However, as wonderful as this experience seemed, the Parrott’s marriage had not been a happy one. And to worsen matters financial strains began to add to the problem. The tight financial situation meant Kathryn had to do without certain comforts. However, instead of becoming sad, she busied herself around the Parrott’s house, and worked in the household to ease any burden her presence might have brought. Since the parrots could not afford a maid, Kathryn took over many of the household chores. As she worked physically, she also grew in her spiritual walk with God. She spent many hours reading and studying the Word. Kathryn would spend five years with her sister and brother-in-law, which turned out to be years of learning and preparation that gave her a solid foundation for her own ministry.
A day came when Kathryn finally struck out on her own as a preacher. A local pastor in Boise offered her a chance to preach in a small pool hall that had been converted into a mission—and that was the beginning of The Kathryn Kuhlman Ministry, which would later become a successful global ministry!
While serving under her sister and brother in law, Kathryn could never have foreseen the great heights God would take her to in life. But because she was faithful in the little, God committed much into her hands. When things got tough, she could have chosen to throw in the towel and return back to her parent’s home, but she decided to persevere and do whatever she could to serve God under the circumstances. She used the time to grow in her relationship with God and learned the basics of ministry as she served diligently. And from what looked like a mess God brought forth her message.
And years later, in many of her sermons she would refer to the lessons she learned in those early years as part of why she succeed in ministry. The truth is that before attaining great heights there are often hidden seasons of preparation where God trains us. A hidden season of spiritual preparation must precede the season of manifestation or outward prominence. In the life of David for instance, we saw how God first prepared him in a hidden season before taking him to greatness. It was in the bush, in a time of prayerful devotion, a season of serving unseen and unknown, that God prepared him for the throne. Indeed preparation is the mother of manifestation. God first prepares us before He presents us to our world. The season of preparation, is a hidden season of life, where it may seem you are all alone, but God uses the things you pass through to develop your spiritual muscles, and build in you an unshakeable faith in Him. Some of the challenges you face now may actually be God’s way of training you for where He is taking you to. A hidden season of spiritual establishment and preparation is crucial to our outward manifestation. Our seasons of preparation will involve times of separation spent in prayer, fasting and studying The Word. This is because things are first established spiritually before they manifest physically. That is God’s order of things.
Our depth in God will determine the height we can attain in life. Therefore let us learn to release ourselves to God to train and prepare us as He deems fit. Our concern should be ensuring we are in His perfect will at all times.
Men may exclaim in wonder at you when God finally unveils you, but then they didn’t see the hidden places of preparation where God trained you. Like John the Baptist, you may have been in the wilderness for a season, but the day of your being shown to Israel is coming. And when that time comes you will look back and be grateful for every lesson you learned along the way.
When you trust in God, despite how discouraging things may sometimes seem, always know that God has a plan that He is working out. Though weeping may have endured for a night, surely your joy is coming in the morning. Even if we sometimes don’t see how things will work out, we do know for sure that all things work together for good for those that love God. And as Galatians 6:9 says if we refuse to be weary in well doing, in due season we shall surely reap, if we faint not..
PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for turning my mourning into joy and dancing for me. Lord, please grant me the grace to persevere and submit to the seasons of preparations You bring me into for I know that in due season Your glory shall be revealed in me in Jesus Name.
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Everything that ultimately has a glorious ending usually has a humble beginning.