My husband and I had big plans this year. He’s a youth pastor so planning fun events for high school kids is part of the gig. We were planning out all of our summer weeks for the youth group. The most exciting trip was the missions trip. It would be the first one for our high school students. Of course, this plan isn’t happening this year. We’ve seen such a cool group of high school seniors step up and be a part of the leadership team at church and it has been so hard not to be able to celebrate graduation with each student. In February I just started speaking at events… and then March happened. I am wondering what your story is. What calculated plans have you felt were wasted? Each of us has a few. If it’s not a graduation ceremony, it might be a job that you’ve worked at for 20 years, or a relationship that was just starting and now it’s on pause. That’s why its been so hard to not get discouraged!
What if I told you all of that planning that didn’t amount to anything, all of that studying that hasn’t been celebrated, all of that hard work you’ve poured into your small business, ministry or nonprofit, all of that time you’ve spent mentoring a young teen at church but haven’t been able to hear from in two months…… nothing is wasted.
Well, I have a verse for you! 1 Corinthians 15:58 says,
“Therefore, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
Just a little context Paul is talking about the resurrection, how because of our hope in the Lord, he gives us victory, that we have hope and that if we surrender our lives to the Lord, our labor is never in vain. That job you worked at for all of those years — it’s not in vain. The ministry you’ve been apart of that isn’t meeting currently — it’s not in vain. The business that you have grown and now you might have to start over — it’s not in vain if you surrender it to the Lord.
Let’s be steadfast, immovable and looking for the work that the Lord is doing. God is using this time in your life and he will use the planning and work that hasn’t happened because of COVID 19.
This hit home!! Was let go of my job that I was at for 20 years!! A quick “It was great working with you, take care” from my boss that I’d known for 25 years!I had been praying for a new job and didn’t want to be there, so I knew this was God sent! I am patiently waiting to figure out what God wants for me.
Hi Karla, thanks for commenting! Wow what a weird way to have an answer to prayer!!! But God knows what He’s doing! You should keep me posted when you get a new job. Would love to celebrate with you!