Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion. (Phil. 1:6)
MY PARENTS RAISED MORE than my four siblings and me; they had a ministry of foster care, providing short- and long-term care for about thirty kids during the course of my childhood. My parents were gifted in this role, loving the kids unconditionally while providing them a safe haven in their time of need. I consider my mom a parenting expert, and can always get wise advice from her as I raise my own kids. One of the most meaningful things she said was when I was heartbroken about one of my teenagers who seemed to be straying from the Lord. “Pray,” Mom said, “but don’t worry. I’ve come to discover that all the children who obviously loved the Lord when they were young loved Him when they got older, even if they strayed for a while in their youth.”
I wonder if that is how Paul felt about his “children”—the churches he planted all over Asia Minor and Macedonia. He saw the love they had for the Lord in their baby stages and knew that God would never let them go.
Likewise, when we are doing God’s work, we can be entirely confident that He will continue the work, even if it feels in the moment that we are miserably failing. Pray, worship, and let your anxiety go. God’s purpose will be accomplished.
Pray for discernment about whether you are following God’s will.
Heather Gemmen Wilson is a bestselling author and international speaker. She is married to a Wesleyan pastor, and together they have six children. She is also author of the preteen Lydia Barnes series (WPH).
