I have asked myself many times, what is my purpose for writing this book about my life? Is anyone ever going to publish it? Even if someone does publish it, will anyone buy it?
I believe I am writing this book, first of all, because the Holy Spirit wants me to write this book about my life. Thus, writing is an act of obedience to what God has called me to do. Secondly, I am writing this book for me—as a reminder of God’s goodness in my life, and as a dedication to Him and for what He has done in my life ever since I took that first step of faith to accept Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. Lastly, I am writing this book for all the lay members of the Church body—those who are not pastors, preachers, missionaries, or evangelists. This book is written by one of you for you because I want to affirm that what the Bible says is true—all of us are part of the Body of Christ, and we all have a purpose in His Kingdom.
Some of us might go on to do great exploits for God and be-come well-known throughout the Church world, while many others will remain faceless and nameless in many aspects; but this does not determine the significance of our existence during such a time as this. We all are privileged to be called to live in these last days during which the coming of our Lord Jesus is becoming more and more obvious according to the signs happening around us, as was prophesied so many years ago. All of us as believers have a part to play in the coming Kingdom, and no role is too small.
However, many of us feel small, insignificant, and powerless, and have been praying many years for spiritual advancement in our own lives as well as in the churches we attend. Moreover, many of us are weary and tired. Although we continue to cry out to God, we have yet to see a breakthrough. Perhaps we have waited for five, ten, or even twenty years, but we have not expe-rienced the success we desire.
I am writing this book to tell you that something will happen—someday, somehow. God hears every prayer of every one of His children. Not one prayer remains unheard. And one day, in His time, He will come in His majesty and sweep you and me off our feet; therefore, we must not give up even if the going is tough. God has never promised that there would be no rain, but He has promised that He will be with us when it does rain.
So, I urge you, brothers and sisters, to not give up, to go on believing in God, and to keep on praying even if the external physical circumstances appear to be at a standstill. Remember that there is a war occurring in the spiritual realm, and although God might be delayed, He will definitely come (see Dan. 10:12-14). Don’t stop one prayer short of the miracle.
Your very next prayer might be the prayer to bring the miracle into your life. Perhaps you will soon move from Marah to Elim (see Exod. 15:22-27). Sometimes you might not even be aware of your success until it is over, and like Jacob you will proclaim, “Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not”(Gen. 28:16b).
May we all continue to look forward to what is ahead of us and to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (see Phil. 2:12), because surely He who promises is faithful, and all that He promises will come to pass. Heaven and earth will pass away, but not one of His words will pass away (see Matt. 24:35).
Instead of hearing about all the adventures, miracles, signs, and wonders that other people have experienced, let’s go on an adventure ourselves. Let’s ask God to come and move in our land and bring us to the place where we are living in the supernatural and unexplainable ways of God. Oftentimes, it might seem hard, depressing, and difficult; many people will misunderstand you, your heart, or your intentions; but God will not. He will always be there, and He will always stand beside you. God knows and sees us in our weakness and in our inability; He has never had any illusions about us. Scripture tells us that when we are weak, we will be made strong (see 2 Cor. 12:10). Our strength is not in ourselves but in the living God.
One day, He will turn up in your life, just as He did in mine, and you will be forever ruined for the ordinary because you will have had a small glimpse of His true nature and what He is like. You will know His goodness, and you will hold on to His hand and trust. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths” (Prov. 3:5-6). I pray that God will deposit His Spirit in you even as you read this book, that He will speak tenderly to you and allow you to have a glimpse of Him that will change your life, that after reading this book, your eyes will be renewed with faith to believe that God will come through in your circumstances. As Graham Cooke says, we all must learn to see God in our life, in the ebb and in the flow, when He manifests Himself and His presence, when He hides Himself, when He is there to our senses, and when He is not there.
P.L. Shang