A Naive Paulette

As a young girl of 19 years old, I identified quickly with the boldness and fire of the apostle Paul. My childhood had been wrought with fear and great pain. Reading stories of Paul strengthened me and propelled me. I wanted to be like him, to have His great strength and His boldness in my life. Paul became the mentor for my life, and I began to pray daily to become a “Paulette”. I wanted so much to be a woman of vitality, bold, and mighty for the glory of God. I prayed daily, “Lord please make me a Paulette”. I continued those prayers for many years. But somehow amidst those desires and my naiveté, I seemed to overlook in my Bible readings the great cost of His strength and His mission.

Paul spells out the true story behind his success:

“I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was [stoned], three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own [countrymen], in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches” (2 Co 11:23-28 NIV).

Most of us have a vague notion when we accept Christ, that someday we will have to make sacrifices. But for many, that price will have to be paid sooner than we realize. Not expecting that, many of us become discouraged and disheartened. We have a tendency to rationalize and to devalue ourselves and the work that we do. When our dreams don’t unfold in the time frame or manner we think they should, some of us table our dreams, putting them on hold. Others have abandoned them entirely. Reflect for a moment…Years from now, standing before our Father in heaven, will we be weeping and saying, “Father, forgive me for wasting so many of your gifts, I should have done so much more for the glory of your kingdom.”?

That’s the cost of a God-given dream.

Father, you have given us dreams to complete. Please intervene on our behalf. We stand in the authority that you have given us and denounce spirits of discouragement, pain and doubt. We boldly stand and declare that we will not abandon the dreams that you have implanted within us by your spirit. We thank you for dreams and visions that propel us for your Kingdom glory. May we rise above our fears, our inadequacies and the surpassing cost.  May we continue to run the race and finish strong according to your promises and in your great might and your strength. In your name we pray. Amen