It Comes To This

Today’s the day!  It's the end of the race.

It’s Election Day and, Lord willing, by the time our heads hit the pillows tonight, we’ll know the results of our work, the fruit of our labor. For the last 3 years, we heavily invested our lives into Mike’s campaign to become the Sheriff of Adams County, Colorado. I’ve shared ownership of Mike’s calling to the point where I can’t consider it merely “his.”  

It’s “ours,” all the way.  

There are times when we’re called to give our all.  Sometimes God calls us to pour ourselves into a thing until we have nothing left to give. To press on through discouragement and realize that quitting is not an option.  To keep facing giants knowing that our only hope is full surrender to the Lord’s strength and will. 

Today marks the end of one such season for Mike and me. 

Throughout the campaign, we’ve stretched to the the point of breaking. We've pushed past the point of exhaustion. We’ve sacrificed things we value. Without a doubt, 

it was the most difficult, challenging experience we’ve ever intentionally faced. 

Through it all, we’ve watched the Lord manifest Himself as we never imagined. This particular call demanded that we lean wholly on God and focus on obedience. We find encouragement knowing:

We’re responsible for obedience. God is responsible for results.  

I praise the Lord that when things were especially hard, our personal “crashes” happened at different times from one another so that we could lift each other up.  When I faced times of discouragement, Mike prompted me to keep my eyes firmly fixed on God. He’d help me put things back into perspective with the reminder that we’re pursuing no less than the best God has for us.  If the Lord leads us to “point A,” we want no part of “point B.” And vice versa. 

When Mike was down, I pray that I had some part in doing the same for him. He tells me that I most certainly did. To God be the glory.

When we face any challenge, 

it is helpful to remember the “why” behind the adventure. 

In our case, we often called to mind why Mike entered the campaign to begin with. 

I’ll tell you that running for Sheriff was not a decision surrounded by personal ambition.  Mike has served a long time - nearly 27 years with the Sheriff’s Office. He looks forward to retirement.  For our family’s financial future, it would be more beneficial for him to retire and begin a 2nd career. 

There is an overwhelming amount of responsibility carried by a Sheriff - especially in a metro-area county.  We’d certainly enjoy more time together and have more time to serve in ministry if Mike said farewell to the Sheriff’s Office.  

During times of our deepest discouragement, these truths wailed loudly in our ears.  It would have been easy to give up and pursue the desires of the flesh.  But when we disregard the path that the Lord reveals and pursue fleshly desires, it always leads to destruction. Always.

Mike’s true “why,” came as response to a profound calling.  The Lord prompted his desire and then confirmed the instruction through prayer, through His Word, through circumstances, and through His people.  The need became increasingly evident.  Soon, while he was still doubting his discernment, Mike’s staff, peers, and colleagues began to encourage him to run. They fanned the embers into flames.

Sometimes people around us believe more in us than we believe in ourselves. 

When Mike stepped into obedience, we realized that all of the pieces had already fallen into place. This helped us to press on toward the goal, even through times when we believed we didn’t have the strength to take another step. We walked in the Lord’s strength and He carried us through each and every stride. We know that we serve a faithful God who is always working toward His glory and our good. 

Tonight we’ll finally learn what the Lord had in mind all along.  Win or lose, the victory belongs to God.  We trust Him entirely and have no doubt that He’s taking us into a good land.  (Dt 8:7)

Your turn:

When has the Lord prompted you to do something you knew was too big to accomplish without Him?

How long did you wait before seeing results?

Did the outcome look differently than you had hoped?

How did the Lord reveal His character to you in the process?

Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.  2 Corinthians 3:5 (NIV)

Be strengthened today, by His Word

Psalm 119:28

Cathy