Growing Weary While Well-Doing

Like anyone engaged in any ministry, there are times when discouragement rears its ugly head. I don’t know why I was feeling down yesterday on my way to the abortion center sidewalks. Satan’s attacks are sometimes more distressing than usual. I was praying as I always do as I drove to the sidewalk. I found my mind wandering however and wondering: am I really of use?

When I arrived, shortly before 9, women were already lining up at the abortion center door. The doors don’t open until 9:30 usually. I was all alone but hurried over to address the women. As I began offering our free ultrasound and other resources, one told me she didn’t want to hear what I had to say. The others laughed at me. 

I spoke nonstop for the next fifteen minutes till the door opened. A couple of women glanced over as I showed them photos of babies in utero. I spoke as always of the many resources that Cities4Life and our partner ministries had to help women make a choice other than abortion. The doors opened early, and all the women hurried in.

As the doors closed, I turned to my fellow counselor, Elijah, who had arrived a few moments earlier.

“I sometimes wonder if we are wasting our time,” I said. This is NOT a characteristic feeling or statement from me. I KNOW we are called by God to be there. On top of that, this past May was the second greatest number of babies saved in a month for as long as we have been keeping records. 

Elijah responded with wise and Godly counsel and consolation. However, the depression I had felt all morning did not lift.

“But is anyone listening?” I asked.

At EXACTLY that moment, before I had even quite finished uttering that question, a woman broke through the hedges and came towards me.

“I wanted to know how you can help,” she said.

For the next three hours, the nurse Sherry and I counseled this woman on the Monroe HELP Pregnancy Center RV  and showed the woman, who I will call Bella, her precious child on the mobile ultrasound unit. Bella’s story was tragic and heart-breaking. She did not understand the love and hope and strength of God. Even after offering her all our resources that countered every obstacle she faced, she was wavering in her choice. 

Into this hopelessness, God ALWAYS speaks. We shared the Gospel, which is the only answer to the devastation of wounded spirits and broken lives. Bella wanted what Jesus offered, and on the RV, prayed with Sherry and me to ask Him to be Lord of her life. She spoke with tearful sweetness, asking Him to help her to live for Him.

All my weariness was gone as I walked Bella to her car. 

“How do you feel?” one of our fellow counselors asked.

“So much better,” Bella said.

Me too. God has a way of meeting us where we are and even when we least deserve it, pouring LAVISH love and hope upon our discouragement. His arms are forever open wide, embracing us in all our brokenness with His healing touch. 

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Romans 8:26-28 

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

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