Stay At Your Post

 Habakkuk 2:1 I will climb up to my watchtower

and stand at my guard post.

There I will wait to see what the Lord says

and how He (I AM) will answer my complaint (NLT)

(I will wait and learn how He answers my questions (ERV)

 

It is easy to grow weary in service. It doesn’t matter where; school, church, work or your own business. We all come to the point where we feel like we’ve run out of “gas” and we can’t seem to find the motivation to do the things we would otherwise do without thinking. Sometimes, the discouragement is a reaction to people and circumstances; issues of offense and hurt, and of course, a seeming lack of vision for the next move.

Tired bones and a drained body are a part of every soldier’s life. It surely is much harder to serve when you observe some wrongs or norms that don’t agree with you. It is also hard to serve when you have strayed or fallen back, when your shortcomings are out in the open and you feel judged. How about when your own little foxes weigh you down? When you feel like you’re not as deserving, worthy or as “spiritual” as your counterparts, or that your contributions are so minute that without it, no one would notice?

This is not a classic “hater” narrative. On the contrary, it is an everyday human experience that we cannot run away from: offense; one that involves your friends, family, brother or sister in Christ, and even your Pastor. It is unavoidable even in church, this issue of offense, and in some cases, injustice. Unworthiness; a lie that creeps into the hearts of many Christians that prevents them from seeking more of God.

 Subconsciously, we expect that everyone we know in church should behave in a certain way, or have a similar mindset. We expect that the people we love and who love God in the “same” ways that we do, should just not do some things, so when we suffer pain and hurt in church, it hits differently. If you were born into a church, or came to know Christ later on, you enjoy the company of church folks; those who serve with you in your department and even the mentors and shepherds we grow to trust. How then do you process a break of that trust? When you know you love God but you’ve been hurt a little too much to stay in the choir, the ushering team or even to return to church next Sunday? 

Habakkuk had a lot of complaints about injustices in his day, in addition to being the voice of God (prophet) of his time. He complained bitterly to God about how the laws of the land and how they did not favour the innocent, the poor, and God’s people. Every time he did so, he had an answer from God.

**Verse 2 of Habakkuk 2 is one popular verse of Scripture and one of my favourites. It was not until recently, however, that I noticed what the prophet did that led to the popular instruction “write the vision down and make it plain on tablets”. He is quoted in verse 1 of Habakkuk 2 “I will climb my watchtower and stand at my guard post”. The prophet had a specific territory he called his own. It could have been his place of prayer, meditation or communion. Whatever it was, it was his primary place of service. This was where he waited on the Lord to receive insight, revelation and Grace to still stay hopeful in a situation that otherwise would quench his spirit and cause him to abandon his cause. Habakkuk STAYED. 

He stayed in service, and God always answered him. God has an answer for you. Why did the other ushers go behind your back? Why was there backbiting in the choir? Why did the other church members judge you without getting to know you first? He has an answer for you, just as he did for the prophet who had many questions. Your answer is not in leaving your post. Your answer, correction, re-alignment and progress remains in your place of service. It may not be a quick answer; it may take a lot of lessons along the way, but He will not just answer you, He will correct your perspective on the matter. 

Most of us are familiar with the account of David in the Bible, and how he slept with another man’s wife and subsequently sending the man off to the forefront of the battlefield, thus setting him up to be killed. In 1 Samuel 11:1, we note; “It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem”.  David should have been at his post at that period in time, but he chose to send his army ahead to go fight when his presence as king was mandatory. It was by him not being at his post that led to him observing this woman bathing, and his subsequent act of adultery. 

Whenever you’re tempted to jump ship in the house of God because of something that you don’t find right, complacency or a sheer act of laziness, try staying at your post a little longer, receiving strength and hope from God each day. Maybe, just maybe, you will find in yourself the ability to love like God; praying for your team when they don’t recognize you as their leader, giving assistance to someone again even though they failed to show appreciation the previous time, strength to bounce back and serve wholeheartedly after you have strayed for a while, and resilience to push through your feelings of offense and injustice to give God all you’ve got. In due time, the Lord will answer you, correct your perspective and give you a vision for your next move.

Just let Him find you at your Post.

Your friends,

Becky and Sharon