When is a Cause a Just Cause!

The question that faces every servant of God at some point in their ministry is, “when is enough, enough?” When have you preached, lived, encouraged, prayed, stayed – long enough? When is a cause a cause? And when is it our need, and not that of winning a soul to Christ?

As one who does not like to accept defeat, I am slow to give up! Also having a basic theological bent toward not giving up on anyone – I tend to persist, sometimes beyond reasonable limits. It has been an issue that has perplexed me throughout my years – when should I stop my efforts – whatever they are?

I could give one agonizing situation after another where I gave of myself to the point where I made myself sick, thinking I was doing the work of the Lord, and wondering why things weren’t going better for me. I can also remember one very painful time when a prophet came to the chuch and when he prophesised to me, he spokie these words to me, “you can’t make people love you.”

I’ll never forget those words- for they spoke to a deep part of me that althuogh I knew it was there, I had no idea how much my behavior governed that need to be loved, to be accepted, perhaps beyond giving them God’s love, I wanted to give them my love..

Over the years God’s love has strengthened me and enabled me to live beyond those early needs. I discovered that love is in unexpected places – and though i would be less than real if I didn’t say that I still struggle with the question of “when to let go?, when have I as a Christian done all I could to share the love of Christ to an unreceptive heart?

Of course God knew what our struggles would be and there is not one area of human need that is not addressed somewhere in scripture. In reference to sharing the message of the gospel, we see Jesus instructing His disciples with these words:

13Then if indeed that house is deserving, let come upon it your peace [that is, [a]freedom from all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin]. But if it is not deserving, let your peace return to you.

14And whoever will not receive and accept and welcome you nor listen to your message, as you leave that house or town, shake the dust [of it] from your feet. 15Truly I tell you, it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.
Matthew 10:13-15 (AMP)

When all is said and done, the Holy Spirit directs us as to what to do with each person, in each situation, but we must never forget -

4 who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. 5 For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 6 He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time 1 Timothy 2:4-6 (NLT)

Jesus paid it all, it is His work, not ours!

God Bless You This Lord’s Day,
Maria