God is not unjust; he will not forget

Your work and the love you have shown

Him as you have helped his people and

Continue to help them.

Hebrews 6:10

Do you ever get discouraged? Do you ever feel like all your prayers and love for your prodigal isn’t enough? Do you ever think that God isn’t listening or He doesn’t want to do what you are asking Him to do? Do you sometimes believe you must do more?

In Hebrews, the author is speaking to believers who were being persecuted for their faith. Apparently some were being tempted to give up because it was too hard. The author tells them to think back to the early days when they first heard about Christ; and to remember how they remained faithful in spite of the suffering and persecution (Hebrews 10:32-34). It would seem that in the beginning they were persecuted but then there was a time of peace, and now they were being persecuted again. The author calls for endurance and to keep on loving others til the end so they don’t become spiritually indifferent (Hebrews 6:11-12). This is good advice for us too. And listen to this:

So do not throw away your

confidence; it will be richly rewarded.

Hebrews 10:35

Did you realize that confidence in the Lord will be richly rewarded? How cool is that!

Although we aren’t being persecuted for our faith, we may be struggling to wait patiently. We are suffering. In the beginning, we prayed with faith believing God would answer. And then something good happened that gave us hope and we were sure that they were returning any day. The next thing we knew, they did something we didn’t like and we felt like returning might never happen. We cried out, “What just happened Lord?” Discouragement set in. Then we recovered by remembering God’s faithfulness to us in other ways or thinking about how God is bigger and in control and we settled back into praying in faith. The cycle repeated again and again. I am speaking from experience. I have felt all these things in the past.

Rather than staying constant in God’s faithfulness, we shift according to what our prodigal is or isn’t doing. We judge God and what He is doing or not doing based on what we see with our physical eyes and hear with our physical ears. We may begin to think “What’s the use?” Particularly if they keep hurting us.

God is saying, “Child, I will not forget a single thing you have done in My name. I love your obedience and I love your prayers. I see them all and they are precious in My sight. Your obedience to pray and act does not go unnoticed. It will not go unrewarded. Even if you don’t see the reward right now, doesn’t mean it’s not coming. I see your perseverance, I see your hope, I see your tears, I see your faith, I see your struggle to let go, and your tenacity to not give up; to not give up on your prodigal for sure, but also to not give up on growing and searching and seeking Me. I love this about you.

This is when we need to press in and look at Jesus. We need to keep on loving them knowing that God sees it all…all our hours of prayers, all our countless tears, all our demonstrations of love. Spend time remembering those positive moments that brought you hope. God is just. He will not ignore you. He will not forget the things you have done. He will not forget the one you love!

God is just!