Prayer to Succeed When God’s Not Done With You Yet

There is a saying in Christian circles that says, “If you’re not dead, God’s not done with you.”  This is true of people like Joseph in the Bible.  It’s also true of all of our lives.  Yours and mine.

My Ongoing Struggles with Following God’s Call on My Life

God often chooses to teach us life lessons when we least expect it.   In a few of my articles I have chronicled my struggle with following the calling that God has placed on my life.  I decided to be open about it in hopes that writing down my thoughts and feelings would help me work through the problem.  I still struggle with knowing exactly what God wants for me to do in regards to ministry and understanding why I cannot serve Him the way I believe he called me to serve.

But God…

…He is still teaching me and giving me examples of what it looks like to still follow hard after Him in all circumstances.  This time God chose to show me the majesty of His creation while speaking to the innermost part of my soul.

Insights from The Story of Joseph in the Bible that God’s Not Done with You Yet

My wife, Kelly, and I just spent a week at sea together on a cruise to Alaska with Inspiration Cruises, and Dr. Jack Graham.  Dr. Graham is the senior pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas.  Come over sometime and we can drive to Prestonwood from my house.  It’s only about a half hour away.

A couple of things popped into my head on the cruise and I decided to write them down to share with you, dear reader.

During our cruise Dr. Graham spoke to the group about the story of Joseph.  His book “Destiny” covers this story found in the later chapters of the Old Testament book of Genesis.  Dr. Graham emphasized that until Joseph reached the pinnacle of leadership in Egypt for the preservation of the people of Israel, God wasn’t done with him.  Joseph’s journey from favorite son, to an Egyptian slave, to Egyptian prisoner, to the prime minister’s office was an orchestrated path for Joseph’s life.

I have to admit that I’m still working on this one.  I’m still wrestling with my attempts to get my music written, recorded, and published for public consumption.  I’m still working on the fact that I feel like an outsider.  When we ask, sometimes God speaks to our situations through other people.

Insights from the Life of a Successful Minister That God’s Not Done With You Yet

On our cruise I also had the opportunity to meet Charles Billingsley.  Charles is an accomplished musician.  He is currently on staff at Thomas Road Baptist Church and Liberty University, both in Lynchburg, VA.  A one-time member of NewSong, Charles has released a truckload of albums singing Christian, Big Band, Christmas, and even lullaby’s.  But I found him to be just a regular guy.  Well, a regular guy with an amazing golf handicap.

Charles related to our group during the cruise that he faced a huge challenge in 2020 when he contracted Covid.  He was in bad enough condition that his friend and doctor sent him to the hospital.  It was an immediate order.  Charles was to leave right then and there, and spend four days in the hospital battling the virus that had attacked his body.  It took a month to completely get over Covid, but slowly Charles returned to full health.  It was a “I’m going to walk three steps today” kind of recovery.  It was hour by hour, then day by day, then week by week.

Singing takes a lot of energy and lung capacity.  If you can’t breathe, you can’t sing.  If you have no energy, you can’t use all of the muscles in your neck and chest to have the correct posture for vocalizing.  There’s a right and wrong way to sing.  Trust me, having a minor in vocal performance means that Charles knows the correct way to sing.  It’s why he has an amazing vocal range.  It’s also why he knew the road to recovery would be long and painful.

God said Charles wasn’t done.

“Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” (Psalm 55:22 ESV)

Worshiping Well When God’s Not Through With You Yet

This is my photo of Charles while he was singing on the cruise.  There’s not a photo of me and Charles like one would normally take as a fan.  Yes, he’s famous.  Yes, he’s accommodating to everyone who wants a photo with him.  But what if I just complimented Charles on leading authentic worship and left it at that?

Authenticity of worship.  That’s what struck me the most about Charles Billingsley.  We sang hymns, worship songs from the 80’s and 90’s, but we also sang some more modern worship songs.  It wasn’t about the style of music, but the honoring and glorifying of the One for whom we all sang.  Charles wasn’t worried about impressing anyone; but I could tell that the authenticity of the corporate worship mattered to him.

You may not believe this, but Charles made some mistakes.  Forgot words, got off from the track…”normal people” mistakes.  However, none of that subtracted from the worship, because he didn’t focus on the mistakes.  It was always about Jesus.  Not Charles.  Not anyone else.  Just Jesus.

Resisting the Temptation to Make Someone other than Jesus Your Savior when God’s Not Done With You Yet

Will Charles and I be lifelong friends?  Best buds?  Probably not.  If I could talk with him again I would offer my home as a place of refuge and say, “Just drop by and I’ll drop some Oklahoma steaks or ham steaks on the grill.  Let me know your favorite drink and we’ll have it on hand.  Come over and take a break; sit on the sofa and let’s talk about life.  Just be normal.”

I do hope that Charles was encouraged by my comments to him.  I didn’t want to give him accolades just because he’s a well-known artist.  I wasn’t angling for an “in” with him.  I wasn’t going to jam a thumb drive in his hands and in desperation say, “Please listen to my songs!”  I wasn’t going to hold him against his will down in the ship’s “Billboard on Board” lounge at the piano while I pounded out a couple of my songs.

Charles Billingsley isn’t my savior.  Jesus Christ is my Savior.

I need God’s guidance.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” (Psalm 32:8 ESV)

“The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.” (Psalm 37:23-24 ESV)

As Long As We’re Alive, God Hasn’t Said He’s Done With Us Yet

Like Joseph, God has not yet said that I am done.  My future is in God’s hands, and I would imagine that Charles would agree.  Do I know what the next steps for me are?  For now, yes. I will keep serving on Tres Dias weekends in whatever capacity I am asked to serve.  I’m sure that there are weekends where I will be leading worship at our church.  As for the other stuff, that’s for God to work out for me in His timing.  Maybe God will carve out time for me to write book number two.

Right here and right now I preach these words to myself: Stop worrying about tomorrow.  Live in the here and now.  Focus on the One who knows everything and let Him be who he is.

Who is the One?

“Holy, King, Almighty Lord

Saints and angels all adore

I join with them and bow before

Jesus, only Jesus”

 

“Who can command the highest praise

Who has the name above all names

You stand alone, I stand amazed

Jesus, only Jesus

 

You will command the highest praise

Yours is the Name above all names

You stand alone, I stand amazed

Jesus, only Jesus”

 

(Recorded by Charles Billingsley on his Album “Only Jesus”, 2014. “Jesus, Only Jesus” Chris Tomlin, Christy Nockels, Kristian Stanfill, Matt Redman, Nathan Nockels, Tony Wood, © 2013 All Essential Music (ASCAP) / Songs From Exit 71 (ASCAP) (admin at EssentialMusicPublishing.com). All rights reserved. Used by permission. )

 Prayer to Succeed When God’s Not Done With You Yet

Pray with me:  “Jesus, I come before you and acknowledge that there is only You.  I cannot place my trust or hope in anyone else, or in any other name.  There is no one who knows or holds my future, but You.  I confess that I have tried to make things happen on my own, but You have shown me your great love in not letting my attempts succeed without you.  Even though I have fallen short, you still love me and still have plans for my life.  You have not turned away from me.  You still call me your own. 

You also still have much for me to do.  There are still others to serve, family and friends to love, needs of others that should be ministered to, and a Church body to serve alongside with. 

You have not rescinded my calling.  You have not distanced yourself from me because I am still in the process of becoming who I am supposed to be in you.

So now, I stand amazed at you, Jesus.  You are indeed the Holy One, the King of the Universe, the Lord Almighty, and I give You the highest praise.  Jesus, may you be glorified in and by my life.  Show me your way for my life.  Let me serve you for the rest of my days.

In the matchless name of Jesus I pray, amen.”

Other Helpful Articles from David Shelton

Finding God’s Presence When Discouraged by Unfulfilled Dreams

Prayer that God Will Use Your Spiritual Struggles and Failures as a Humble Witness of His Grace

Taking a Leap of Faith Prayer: Whether for Rescue or the Need to Move Forward with God’s Plan

Copyright © 2024 David E. Shelton.  All rights reserved.