God is BIG. Really big.
And I am small.
I was in the Pacific Northwest this past weekend. Going in, I had heard how 'unchurched' the area is. And it is. It is the least churched area in the country. But make no mistake, God is there. His Church is there.
I met many, many men of God who are taking ground for King Jesus—men in Portland, men in Salem, men in Seattle. Men like John, David, Josh, and Rick—thousands of men. In fact, more than 700 pastors and leaders gathered to talk about biblical masculinity and winning the Church back to men. I was surprised by the turnout... "I thought this area had the least amount of Christians."
As I surveyed the room, I was humbled.
Confession: It is easy for me to think I am the only one—that it's just me.
My view can grow myopic; I think, "No one is working with me, like me, or for me."
I start to believe that "my cause, in my place, in my way, is the most important cause, the only way."
I tell myself, "It's just me. No one else understands. No one gets 'it.' No one is coming."
Lately, I've come to recognize this self-talk is another form of self-righteousness, a type of egotism bordering on self-pity.
Sitting at the Salem convention center, surrounded by men, my mind went to 1 Kings 19. The prophet Elijah had experienced the Lord's protection and provision—he had just won a great victory over his enemies (1 Kings 17-18). Yet, we find Elijah running for his life and crying in a cave, convinced that he is the only one, the last of God's prophets who hadn't been destroyed (1 Kings 19).
God came to the lamenting Elijah and gave him a word of encouragement. The Lord told him, "Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him" (v 18).
God had seven thousand faithful followers who were for Him and with Elijah.
And He has many more with, and for, you and me. God has His people everywhere. People in our offices, our neighborhoods, our campuses, in our barracks—everywhere. You may feel that you're the only one standing for Christ. You're not. You are not alone.
I have talked to many laborers over the last few weeks who are discouraged. They are frustrated and tired. And this is what I've discovered... when you are discouraged, there are two things you are tempted to do: magnify the bad and minimize the good.
Avoid doing either. Here is a good truth: it is not as bad as you think and it is much better than you know.
Remember, for every Elijah, there are 7,000 secret disciples working on behalf of the King.
You are not alone.
— Harp