Many years ago I began painting a picture of a beautiful old house in my hometown of Winchester, KY. It was known as The Old South Inn. I was painting it using a post card that was a depiction of the house’s grandeur and the lovely lot on which it sat.
My art instructor helped me with the initial structure of the home, making sure the perspective was correct. I then began adding some of the landscape around the house, brushing on a couple of the large trees that surround it. With the framework of the picture done I needed to add shadows and detail that would make the painting come alive. However, somewhere along the way, I lost heart. It was overwhelming to look at it and think about finishing it. There was too much to do, and I didn’t feel up to the task. So, you guessed it, I set it aside. However, I packed that canvas with me each time I moved, thinking that one day I’d be overcome with a rush of creativity and would finish that painting. It wasn’t too long ago that I picked that poor dusty relic up and pitched it in the trash. Had my instructor still been around to guide my brush and help me, perhaps I could have finished it, but left on my own, I simply lost heart.
This morning as I read Psalm 27:13 I hear David crying out in faith to His God. “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” In other words David is saying, “I would have lost heart if I didn’t have the faith that God’s goodness will be revealed.” Then he goes on to say what he will now do because he does have faith in God. “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say on the Lord.”
During these tumultuous days it’s easy to lose heart; to feel overwhelmed, desperate and frustrated. With our country’s economic problems and weak politicians running for president it would be tempted to “faint”. Then add our own personal struggles of family issues, parenting, financial pressures, relationship strains, hefty decisions that are waiting to be made or a huge responsibility we’ve been given and we may feel faint-hearted all too quickly. David reminds us that we need not feel discouraged!
Do you have a task or difficulty in front of you that the Lord has given that seems daunting? Whatever seems overwhelming to you, throw it to the Lord and have eyes of faith that His goodness will be known. Look behind you and remember when the Lord did this for you in the past. Allow that memory to encourage your heart, then wait on Him to strengthen you. Don’t lose heart! Our Instructor is with us; we are not left on our own. Pick up your paint brush and move forward instead.
RefreshHer 