Don't Lose Heart

Cory Asbury released a song in 2018 that spoke into my biggest heartbreak. It is not his famous "Reckless Love" which did bring healing to a little girl whose father did not love her enough to do the right thing, but the one that spoke even more to me and is hitting in a new way in this season is called "Water and Dust". I will include the lyrics below and a link to the video so you can listen for yourself.

One part water and one part dust

Yet You're still making trophies out of us

Making something out of nothing, it's what You do

Yet Your work is never finished and it's never past due

Gently Your voice like a calming embrace

Calls me from out of the noise

You whisper to me: Child, forget not your dreams

As we lie awake in the dark

Just don't lose heart

From the dirt to a throne, with a brand new name

In the blood of the King running through our veins

There's hidden gold in these jars of clay

And all these hidden crowns will be revealed one day

Yeah, we'll lay them down at Your feet one day

Gently Your voice like a calming embrace

Calls me from out of the noise

You whisper to me: Child, forget not your dreams

As we lie awake in the, we lie awake in the

We lie awake in the dark

Just don't lose heart

He's got your hand

Don't lose heart, child

He knows your name,

And when everything is falling apart

Don't lose heart

When everything is falling apart

Just don't lose heart

Perhaps you have experienced a season where you find yourself lying in the dark, unable to sleep, worried about things beyond your control. I feel there are times when that is 100% on us, not putting things in proper perspective and letting the cares of this world blind us to God's majesty and glory. But then there are those seasons when your heart gets to walk around in this world, in the body of those you love with all your being, and just get trampled into a bloody pulp. This is one of those later seasons for me.

How do you go on when your heart is broken, again and again and again? When the promises you were holding on to by a thread are just not inspiring hope anymore? How do you keep your heart soft and tender to the voice of the Lord, when everything seems to be falling apart and you only know how to build brick walls around yourself to keep the fiery arrows out?

Galatians 6:9 says " And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." 2 Corinthians 4:16 continues the thought: "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day."

In order to walk through these dark seasons of life, we have to actively pursue service. We can't shrink back and let the enemy have the stronghold, we must keep marching into what we know are the desires of the Father. We grab onto His hand and follow the lead to share our testimonies-the stories of God's faithfulness in the past, and to love the people that He has placed into our circle of influence. When we let go of His hand and isolate, we miss the blessings. Just like a farmer, there are seasons of our lives where the seeds are in the ground and we have to wait, expecently, for the seeds to sprout and the harvest to come. It is not the time to give up.

I encourage you, to keep serving. Keep showing up. Don't let the world take over your schedule, instead pursue the things that please the Father's heart. Stay consistent in your communities, and link arms with those in your church-sharing the struggles and joys of living in this world where Jesus promises us: "Here on earth you will have many trails and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

Don't lose heart.