I was struggling this morning—again—with the call God has put on my life and writing compared to the paltry-seeming effectiveness of my daily efforts.

My hubby, as usual, was very supportive; praying, rubbing my back, letting me vent, etc. As he was praying, God brought to mind Abraham and the promise that “I will make of you a mighty nation.” Now this was absolutely a promise from God but when days, weeks, months and even many years passed with no sign of that promise coming to pass, Abraham and Sarah had doubts. Big doubts. There was no human way that promise was ever going to happen and I’m sure the promise, such a wonderful word from God, began to feel more like a curse. 

I can so relate to this. The hope and promise of my heart far outstrips what is humanly possible—no matter what fancy publicity campaign is applied. Yet the promise lives—even though there are days it seems to crush me into the ground as the need for real revival continues to grow and my feeble efforts to not give up seem almost supernaturally ineffective—as one author so eloquently put it lately, “just pissing in the wind.”

But my ineffectiveness does not mean the promise has failed. It simply means that my part in the deal is to not give up. When I signed my name to the other part of that spiritual covenant, my promise back to God was to stand and believe—perhaps for many frustrating years as the promise unfolds in God’s perfect timing—not to make sure it happens in human power (that won’t work btw) and then get in league with Satan by either beating myself over the head with guilt or wondering, “Did God really say…?” 

It’s a matter of faithfulness. It’s my job to keep tilling the soil, fighting the weeds, and making sure my source of strength is coming through the true vine. The supernatural part, the actual growth and effectiveness God promised, is His job. 

Galatians 3:3 hits this issue straight on: “Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” (NIV)

But I also like the “hit between the eyes” method of The Message: 

“Are you going to continue this craziness? For only crazy people would think they could complete by their own efforts what was begun by God. If you weren’t smart enough or strong enough to begin it, how do you suppose you could perfect it?” 

But there’s loving freedom in that. We are not called to do God’s part. We are called to agree with God’s promise and stand in faith when the doubts and fears come at us in tsunami proportions.

 Chana is a wife, mom-of-four and author who brakes for old barns, homemade chocolate anything and Pride & Prejudice anytime. Look for her next novel, One Night With a Rock Star, coming to Amazon Kindle May 1, 2013.

“Daydreams she can handle. Real life? That gets complicated.”