I saw this video of Michael Gungor today, and it got me thinking: how hard am I willing to work to play like Mike?
I’m an average guitar player. My skills are nowhere near this guy’s level. I suppose that I could work my fingers til they bleed, and I would improve. But what would I have to sacrifice to accomplish this? What would I have to give up?
Then I did a little googling and came up with this:
There’s a fine line between dogged determinism and chasing a vapor. Knowing the difference is all the key. There comes a time to dig in, to hunker down, to set your face like flint and pursue the dream with all that you have. And there’s a time to cut your losses, change your goals, and move on.
Moses was a man who knew the difference. He met God, was given a divine mission: Go tell Pharaoh to let My people go. He wrestled with God, noting his limitations and objections, his fears and flaws. But in the end, he obeyed. How did things go for him?
Pharaoh not only bucked God’s command, he increased the work load of the Hebrew slaves. Moses was confused, frustrated, and ticked off. I don’t know if he expected everything to be easy, but he met with a hard reality. Moses went back to God with his hurt:
Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me? Ever since I came to Pharaoh as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people. And you have done nothing to rescue them!
We know how the story develops from there. God eventually visits a series of plagues on Egypt, the Israelites are sent away, and their journey toward the Land of Promise/Blessing begins.
Moses didn’t give up, even in the face of an apparent shut-down. His situation and circumstances (almost at every turn) were in direct conflict with what God had promised. But he moved forward, choosing to believe his heart rather than his eyes and ears. He knew that God had spoken to him, so he walked in faith.
That’s the kind of faith that I want to have, the kind of faith that I want to live. I want to know what the Lord is saying to me so that I can move forward in confidence, knowing that my steps are right even when the circumstances are difficult.
Have you ever walked through a rough patch knowing that there was a promise to be kept on the other side of the difficulty? How did you hold on to faith? Share your story with us…
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