promises

Galatians 6:9 Don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged & give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing, at the appropriate time.

I remember it was the winter of 2005. I was at staff prayer that morning, praying about a person for whom I care deeply. I just couldn't seem to see how that person would ever walk in the free & easy life they could have.

It seemed God whispered to me to go read Galatians 6. I thought that was kinda odd, but what do ya do when ya think the God of the universes tells ya to do something?!

I'm reading along, thinking, this is all good stuff, but none of this has anything to do with this person I've striving for - that is, until I got to verse 9.

"Don't get discouraged & give up" jumped off the page.

I was pretty discouraged about this person.

"...we will reap a harvest of blessing" was next.

"...at the appropriate time" let me know that it probably wasn't gonna be soon.

"Don't get tired of doing what is good" helped me know that I was supposed to continue to love & care about this person no matter what.

More than once over the 5 years that have come & gone I've become discouraged about my relationship with this person. More than once I've felt like giving up. I've come to think that maybe the freedom that I hope for this person won't occur until they've gotten to heaven.

I just know that I'm not supposed to give up on them.

And no, I don't know if this person is any closer to walking in the freedom I've longed for them since before 2005. I just keep on loving & caring.

Since 2005, God has given me this promise for another person with the same imprisoned life.

I love them both a great deal. If you know me well, please don't try & guess who these two people are. Just know that I'm not gonna give up. The stakes are too high.