The Struggle

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so My word that comes from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do." (Isaiah 55:11)

Have you never heard or understood? Don't you know that the Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth? He never grows faint or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak. Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up. But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31)

In my book I devote several chapters to the reasons why some people sit in church every Sunday and miss worship. I mention things like an improper view of God, guilt, traditionalism, unconfessed sin, and a few others. All of these can create a barrier that makes it difficult to submit ourselves to God in worship, whether public or private. But there is another one - sometimes we struggle with God's ability. When we place limits on God it can mess with our worship. Sometimes when we have sought God in prayer He answers right away - and sometimes not. Sometimes we must continue in prayer, exercise our faith muscles, and wait. While we wait, though, worship and study of God's Word will carry us.

Today's text assures us that the words from God's mouth will not come back empty, but will accomplish the purpose He sent it out to do. God will perform His Word. His Word is full of promises from Him. Whenever I have a day when I'm just not "feeling" it, I hang out in the book of Isaiah. It is probably my favorite in the whole Bible because all through the book, you see declarations like, "I am God," "I am the Lord," "No god was formed before Me, and there will be none after Me." And there are so many others that just build my faith up. For me, the book of Isaiah helps me not to struggle with God's ability. No matter what I'm seeking Him for, as long as I know He's God, that's really all I need to know.

If you are reading this and you find yourself struggling with God's ability in your situation, I challenge you to do two things: (1) just begin to worship God, and (2) spend more time in His Word. God's Word is full of reasons to keep worship a priority as you walk through your current season.

Donna R. Patrick, Contributing Writer

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