Page 145 - Evidence of Things Unseen

A Season of Grace

e had been in Montezuma, Georgia for four months. Our time had started off with
Wgreat promise, but had ended with tremendous disappointment. I had felt certain that
the Lord would use this people as a core group to begin to raise up a people to His praise.
I had prayed for such a people for ten years, and I had truly believed the Spirit was
indicating that now would be the time for a people to come forth who were a people of faith,
a people marked by their passion for God and their love for one another, a people who were
both led and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
In my spirit I was greatly perplexed. I wondered if I had failed somehow in my
intercession for this people. I wondered if I had even heard God correctly about His desire
for us to participate with this fellowship of believers. Yet, as I looked over all the
tremendous confirmations we had received, as I considered the myriad of ways God had
come through for us time and again, and as I understood the necessity of the incredible
sifting work He had performed in my life, I realized that He had been with us the entire
time. Why then, did we not see victory among these people? Why had I witnessed another
body turning back to a dependence on the flesh, and why did I know rejection again?
It became painful for me to think about this time in Montezuma, and the pain was
increased because I did not have any answers to my questions. The Spirit reminded me of
Paul’s words:

II Corinthians 4:7-9
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the
power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not
crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down,
but not destroyed...

Paul said that he also knew times when he was perplexed. Paul encountered times
when things just did not look right, and events did not turn out according to his hope and
expectation. Despite times of perplexity, Paul said he did not despair. My dictionary defines
despair as “to abandon all hope, loss of hope or confidence.” I did find myself experiencing
times when I was tempted to abandon all hope and confidence that I would see the things
God had promised to me fulfilled. I found myself intentionally avoiding any thoughts about
our experiences in Montezuma, for I could not arrive at any answers that would bring me
hope or comfort.
My Father knew just what I needed to recover from this tumultuous and painful time
we had just passed through. I had no desire to write, and nothing was arising in my spirit
that was needing to be shared with the saints. I wanted to take a break from the ministry
God had called me to. God provided the outlet I needed. Our friends had many remodeling
jobs to be performed on their house, but due to health problems they were unable to
complete these tasks themselves. I had worked in the area of apartment maintenance and
home repair for some years, and I had the skills necessary to do the work.
Over the course of the next couple of months I worked with my son Josiah to do a
variety of jobs. We re-bricked a fireplace hearth, and painted rooms and hallways. We
replaced countertops in the kitchen and removed a wall mounted oven and turned the space
into a pantry. We installed a drop in stove/oven combination and spray painted the range