When God has given you a creative anointing, and you’re passionately sharing it with the world…
When you’re investing your time, your money, your heart, your reputation…
When your family even has to sacrifice along with you…
It can be very disappointing and discouraging when people don’t react the way you thought they would have, or thought they should have.
You know in your heart that you prayed about it, and you feel in your heart you’re doing what God called and equipped you to do…but it didn’t take off as you expected. And, sometimes it’s been years.
If you aren’t careful you can find yourself WHINING!
WHINING about the fact that you aren’t getting support…
WHINING about the fact that others’ are having the success that you would love to have, even if on the surface they don’t seem worthy…
WHINING that others’ may seem to be an over-night-success…
WHINING that others younger than you are doing so much more…
WHINING that others who haven’t worked as hard or sacrificed as much are doing so much better…
WHINING about the system that is holding you down…
WHINING about the corruption in the system and how you will make it different when you get the influence you hope to have.
WHINING! WHINING! WHINING!
I have to admit that when my wife, Gospel/Jazz recording artist Mechelle Johnson, and I first entered the Gospel music industry, I was very disappointed to have so much of what I heard confirmed. That it’s just another business. That it’s filled with people who are unholy. That it is extremely cliquish, and exclusionary…all true!
I was disappointed to see so many artist within our genre who seemed to be more concerned with begging for votes for awards than begging for souls.
And yes, I found myself complaining.
If this has ever been you too, I have a word of admonition and encouragement for US.
STOP WHINING AND DO WHAT GOD CALLED YOU TO DO!
PREACH!
TEACH!
SING!
PLAY YOUR INSTRUMENT!
WRITE!
BLOG!
PARENT!
MENTOR!
LEAD!
LEAD! Yes, it is not a good example when The President of the United States, leaders and Pastors are whining about how bad they are being mistreated. Just as the bible says “Endure hardship as a good soldier of Yeshua the Messiah 2 Timothy 2:3…SHUT UP AND LEAD!
WORK WITHOUT WHINING!
Notice in the bible when the leaders God called began to whine how He told them to get up, snap out of it, and get to work…
Joshua 7:6-10 (ESV)
6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, he and the elders of Israel. And they put dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, O Lord God, why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to give us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would that we had been content to dwell beyond the Jordan! 8 O Lord, what can I say, when Israel has turned their backs before their enemies! 9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it and will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will you do for your great name?” 10 The Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face?
Notice how God doesn’t allow us to mope and whine after He as disciplined us…
Hebrews 12:10-12 (NKJV)
10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no [a]chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees,
When you read your bible, the people complained against Moses for 40 years in the wilderness.
The apostles would have loved to have captive audiences rather than getting run out of town and beaten.
And, most of all, Yeshua our Messiah (Jesus Christ) went to the cross, and though He has already arisen from the dead, He is still waiting on His glory and giving more people time to come to God through Him.
The fact is, if our Savior can wait to receive His glory, so can we.
WHEN YOU FEEL YOUR MINISTRY ISN’T GETTING ENOUGH ATTENTION…
STOP WHINING AND WORK YOUR MINISTRY…
Remember this, If you truly believe that God is in control, and you truly trust Him, you will reach everyone He intends for you to reach in His timing.
Joshua 1:6-7 (NKJV)
6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall [a]divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may [b]prosper wherever you go.
BE BLESSTIFIED!
BE BLESSTIFIED! 