A Tortoise Or a Hare
Everyone, even ordinary believers, should be able to see pictures or visions that the Lord places in their spirits. Some visions do not seem to make sense when you see them, and you may wonder what it is that the Lord may be trying to tell you.
I was recently having a prayer time and was waiting on the Lord to show me what to pray for. I was just praying in tongues quietly when I received one of those kinds of visions. I suddenly saw a tortoise plodding along slowly and faithfully just like a tortoise does in the natural.
I thought, “A tortoise? What on earth could that mean?”
I continued praying, and then suddenly I saw a hare zooming along the road at breakneck speed. I then remembered the famous old Aesop’s Fable about the tortoise and the hare racing each other.
I still wasn’t sure if the Lord was trying to show me something, but I did suspect that to be the case. Either that, or it was simply my mind conjuring up and thinking about strange things. This can happen if you are praying in tongues. You can think about the weirdest things and think you are crazy.
A Great Illustration
Well my suspicion was right. The Lord did want to tell me something about this vision, and this is a summary of what He told me when I asked Him about it.
He said, “My child, there are two kinds of people who minister for me. The first kind is like the hare that seems to race ahead and just accomplish a huge amount for me. They start ministries or hold huge crusades, and they seem to be flourishing in everything their hands touch.
The other kind is like that slow, steady tortoise, plodding along faithfully. They seem to be hidden in the background and just do little mundane things.
There is no big fanfare with them. If you look at them, they just seem like ordinary believers, who do not push their way, and who therefore seem to be nobodies in ministry.
But think about what happened in the story? The hare raced past the tortoise and went to sleep because it assumed that it had won. It became complacent and thought that it was the greatest. The tortoise on the other hand pushed on faithfully, and it was the one who won in the end.”
I just loved this illustration, because it is relevant to so many people who want to minister for the Lord today. I am sure you have seen those ‘hares’ already as you look around at various ministries. They are the ones who suddenly seem to rise up and surge ahead.
You on the other hand are simply being faithful to the Lord and waiting on Him to open the way for you to rise up more. You just continue to minister unseen in the background, sharing with people in love or praying for them as the Lord leads you to.
You might think to yourself,
“I am a loser when it comes to ministry. My heart is open and I really desire to move powerfully for the Lord. But things are not opening up for me and it looks like I am not succeeding at anything. When are things going to change for me?”
Just hang in there, because your time is coming and soon you will see the victory. Over the years we have learned that if you have a high calling on your life, it takes much longer to manifest than if you are not called to do a big work for the Lord.
You need to realize that not everybody has the same calling. Each one is different and is unique and special to the Lord. The Lord knows your desires and He is busy working on a special plan for you, but things may not be in place just yet for this plan to be fulfilled.
It can be very frustrating when you so long to rise up to the place that you see many other people in. They are burning brightly and they look so successful. But sometimes those bright shining stars burn out and suddenly disappear. They may look the epitome of success, but it is not always the case.
Which One Are You?
Perhaps you can identify with what I have shared about here. So which one are you? Are you like the hare who has risen up suddenly and is shining brightly? Perhaps you are out there in the public and doing a lot of things for the Lord.
This is wonderful. Continue to flow in love and do what you do for the Lord. Just make sure that you keep the Lord as your first priority and focus. Don’t become puffed up with what you have done, but realize that it is the Lord who has done this in your life. If you keep that attitude and mindset the Lord will keep using you mightily.
Are you perhaps a tortoise, who seems to be getting nowhere in ministry and who always seems to be in the background?
Know that the Lord is working in your life and you will not stay like this forever. Keep pushing through, doing whatever you can and however the Lord leads you. You may not see the progress, but as you keep moving forward faithfully, know that you will reach the end goal.
When that happens you will suddenly be launched into something far greater than you could have imagined. Remember this Scripture from Luke 16:10 if you become discouraged.
One who is faithful in little things is also faithful in big things.
Just be faithful to do what you can for Him and leave the results to Him. He will raise you up at the perfect timing and in the best way possible.