He Will Bring the Increase

It was not a good day for our biannual dogfood drive for Hollow Creek Canine and Equine Rescue Farm. (Hollowcreekfarm.org) It was raining all morning. I looked out the window, and worried that people would not leave dogfood out if they had to go to the trouble to put it in plastic bags. Nonetheless, at 11:00, I put on my raincoat, and headed out in the van. I'd put out 200 flyers earlier in the week, one for every home in our neighborhood. Would anyone remember? Would they bother putting out a donation in the rain?

As I began to drive slowly through the streets, I became increasingly discouraged. One of my old standbys, who always puts out a hefty donation had put out nothing. Then a second, and a third of my "regulars" had not put out donations. This was going to be a bust!

I was on the last street, where in the past just one family has donated. I now only had about 4 bags in the car. I knew Hollow Creek could really use the donations,  and I was feeling low.
"But Lord," I prayed, "You are in control." My daughter, who used to help with every dogfood drive would always remind me, "Anything we collect is more than Hollow Creek has without it." This is good to remember. Anything we do for others, however small, leaves them in a better place than if we had done nothing at all.

So praying, and fighting discouragement, I drove down the last street. The one house on that last street that always leaves a donation had two large plastic bags by their mailbox. There were two 40 pound bags of dogfood in each plastic bag! At that one house alone, donations had been doubled. And then another house gave an unexpected two large bags! As I was driving out of the neighborhood, a van coming in the other direction rolled down her window and signaled me to stop.
"Are you collecting dogfood?" she said.
"Yes!"
"Oh good! I was so worried I'd miss you."
She unloaded her large bag of dogfood into my car.

Why do I doubt? Why do I spend so much time worrying that my efforts will fall short when the result is never up to me? God has shown me over and over again that if I am faithful, He will "provide the increase." I may be in the battle, but I am not the General. He is the one in charge. I am just following orders.

As I settled down to write this blog, the phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hello, this is B. We missed the dog drive!"
It was my most faithful donor, who never misses the dog drive, who had set off my spiral of defeatist thoughts.
"That's ok," I said, "You have always been so generous."
"Well we'd like to send a check, and my workplace will do matching donations."

Oh ye of little faith, I chided myself, smiling into the phone.
***************

Hebrews 11:6 

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Psalm 40:1-17 

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie! You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.

Psalm 115:14-15 

May the Lord give you increase, you and your children! May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth!

Isaiah 54:2 

“Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes.

2 Corinthians 9:10 

He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.