“I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours” (Matthew 25:25).
My husband often says, “The cemetery is one of the richest places on earth. It’s filled with those who died with their dreams buried inside of them.”
Take a moment and read the Parable of the Talents found in Matthew 25:14-30.
Last year this story weighed heavily on me. Most of my writing consisted of journal entries. When it came to serving in the army of the Lord and using the gift of encouragement, I was MIA—missing in action—and had been for years. Aside from a few tweets and Facebook posts, I had virtually deserted my post of duty. A painful and publicized crisis in my family and church left me deeply wounded, weary, and unwilling to do the work of the ministry. It wasn’t just the crisis of moral failure in my marriage but the “friendly fire” that followed.
Recovery was slow, painful, and ongoing. But God… He never left us. Never took back His talent. Never said, “Never again.”
I can relate to author and speaker Lysa TerKeurst when she writes, “You will find life-giving purpose and meaning when you allow God to take your painful experiences and comfort others. You will be able to share a unique hope because you know exactly what it feels like to be them. In my own season of suffering I feel as though I’ve licked the floor of hell. So now everything else in comparison looks a little more heavenly.” From her book: It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way: Finding Unexpected Strength When Disappointments Leave You Shattered.
The thought of meeting my Maker and having to give an account of what I did with His talent shook me to my core and brought me to my senses. There is only one who wants to silence God’s people and that’s Satan, the accuser of the brethren. Beloved, let me remind you that “The accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…” (Rev. 12:10-11).
Whatever’s got you down, it’s time to testify. Re-enlist. Re-engage. Don’t die with your dreams buried inside of you. Dig them up. Dust them off and report for duty! When you do you will one day hear your Commanding Officer say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”