Is God at work?

It was a huge opportunity and I knew it.  So I planned ahead.  I prayed.  I worked hard.  I sought accountability.  I asked boldly.  I did everything I could!

But nothing came of it.  God didn't show up.

What's going on, God?  Why did you leave me hanging?  I'm supposed to be faithful - and I was - but You didn't fulfill your end of the deal!  Are you at work in my fundraising or not?

Have you ever wondered if God was really at work in your fundraising?  Yeah, you've seen Him at work before.  And you definitely see Him at work in the lives of others who are raising funds around you.  So why does it seem like He's ignoring you?  Is God at work?

Joseph might have wondered something similar.  God gave him dreams declaring that he would be great (Gen 37:5-10).  Yet instead he was betrayed by his closest kin and sold into slavery in a foreign land (Gen 37:23-24,28).  Even in this he tried to be faithful, yet his desire for purity left him in prison for two years (Gen 39).

Was God at work?

Let's find out.  After those two years in prison, Joseph is remembered, tested and greatly exalted (Genesis 41:40).  Eventually his brothers, who had been the initial source of his great suffering, came groveling before him.  In that moment, Joseph spoke these amazing words:

Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?  As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. (Genesis 50:19-20, ESV, emphasis mine)

Wait, wait, wait!  God meant it for... good?  Did Joseph really mean to say that God was at work, doing good, throughout all those years of seeming neglect?  He sure did.  That's exactly what he meant.

So what does this mean for you and I when we work hard in fundraising and yet it appears that God is not at work?  Perhaps you finally have the courage to ask for a big gift and they say no.  Or the speaking engagement you've been planning for weeks falls through at the last minute.  Or you get a new $100/mo donor after a dry spell only to lose a $200/mo donor.  What does it mean when God's not at work?

It means we're asking the wrong question!  Rather than asking, "Is God at work?", we ought to instead ask, "How is God at work?"  We may not learn the answer to that for months or years later.  But we can have certainty that God is at work for good.

He's never done it any other way.

Trusting in God's Plan

This is a guest post by fellow fundraiser Jenny Carrington. Interested in writing a guest post? Write to gospel.fundraiser@gmail.com.

When I began my support raising journey in June of 2012, I thought I had it all figured out. I knew whom I wanted to contact, when I wanted to contact them, when I would make the epic trek from Maryland to my home state, Massachusetts; yes, I had a plan! A perfect plan. Nothing could stop me!

About halfway through June, I began to call people living in Massachusetts for a trip I was planning to make during the first week of July. As I already had two whole weeks of support raising experience under my belt, I was certain my Massachusetts plan was impeccable: set up a few meetings with old family friends, and call the pastor of a church I had attended a few times so as to set up networking opportunities, meet with the missions committee, etc. It was a beautiful plan. I sat down at my computer, iPhone in hand, and decided to call the pastor first because I had gone to high school with his youngest daughter, and wanted to begin my night of calls with an "easy" call. I grinned from ear to ear as the phone rang, imagining how wonderfully the conversation was going to go. A click: "Hello?"

"Hi, Pastor, this is Jenny Carrington calling."

Beat. "Who?"

Oh no, he doesn't remember me? "Uh, I graduated with your daughter? We sang in chorus together?"

"Okay…"

As I began to anxiously weave together a string of words about why I was calling, what ministry I was working for, and if he was interested in meeting up in a few weeks, he gave the one response I was not expecting to hear: "No, no, thank you."

No…?! He said NO?! He briefly explained why he was disinterested in meeting, and asked me to email him the ministry's website in the morning, and we hung up.

I dramatically flung myself onto my bed, sobbing. No, no, no!! My plan, my perfect plan! God, why did you ruin my plan! Now I'm never going to finish support raising because you ruined my plan!

And in that moment, God spoke to me: Jenny, why aren't you trusting me? Why are you resting in your own capabilities, in your own plan, when I alone have the perfect plan for you?

Blinking back tears, I realized He was right. I had created a plan, but had forgotten verses such as, "Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that'" (James 4:13-15).

I hadn't prayed about my plan, asking if it was the Lord's will, nor had I given the plan up to the Lord, understanding that it could change. Instead, I had boasted in my plan, even idolized my plan, and when the plan failed, and fell off its pedestal, I was broken to pieces.

The next day, I went to the local café for Internet access, stared at my computer screen for a good ten minutes, and finally, begrudgingly, sent the briefest of all emails to this pastor. I included the ministry's website and my own personal bio. After clicking the send button, believing the door to be closed, I thought, Okay, Lord, this trip to Massachusetts is in your hands. What's your plan? 

Three hours later, I received a call from my hometown's area code: "Hi, Jenny, this is Anne."  (The pastor's wife?!)  "We just read your email, and we would LOVE to meet with you!!"

What? WHAT?? We talked for a few minutes and chose a date for me to come over to their house to share about the ministry. When we hung up, I literally spun in a circle of excitement. I hadn't wanted to send that email. My plan for Massachusetts had been drastically altered, and I had simply wanted to close that door as quickly as possible. Instead, God used the email to fling that door right back open. Trust me, He says. I have a plan.

Not only did we meet, but they are now supporting at $50/month! In addition, I was able to meet so many wonderful people at their church, set up more meetings and meet with the missions committee. So, essentially, God did everything I had planned for. But in His timing and in His way.

Wow.

While the previous evening of dramatics was humbling and difficult to process through, I learned much about my pride, and much about trusting in God's plan. His plan in this instance was actually quite similar to mine, but He still wanted to teach me to trust Him. And I am so very grateful for that.

Who raises your support?

Who defeated Goliath?

Then David said to [Goliath], "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head." (1 Samuel 17:45-46a ESV)

Who sold Joseph into slavery?

Joseph said to [his brothers], "Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today." (Genesis 50:19-20 ESV)

Who killed Jesus?

"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know - this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men." (Acts 2:22-23 ESV)

Who is responsible for your sanctification?

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13 ESV)

Who raises your support?

God has already planned it

When Adam and Eve brought onto themselves the curses of sin at Eden, God had already planned that the woman's seed would crush the head of the serpent. (Genesis 3:15)

When Joseph's brothers delivered him into slavery in Egypt, God had already planned that he would save countless lives through the great famine. (Genesis 50:20)

When Israel found themselves trapped by the Egyptians with their back to the Red Sea, God had already planned a miracle He'd refer back to all throughout the Bible. (Exodus 14:13)

When Saul disqualified himself from kingship at Gilgal, God had already planned to anoint a greater king after His own heart. (1 Samuel 13:14)

When Naomi was left without a husband or sons, God had already planned that the Messiah would come through her family. (Ruth 4:17)

When Lazarus grew ill and died, God had already planned that His disciples would believe in Him as a result. (John 11:14)

When Jesus was taken prisoner and sentenced to crucifixion, God had already planned to bring about the salvation of mankind. (Acts 2:23)

When Jesus departed this world and left His frightened disciples behind, He had already planned that the gospel would penetrate to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

When a murderer was on his way to claim the life of more Christians, God had already planned to bring salvation to the Gentiles through him. (Acts 9:15)

When you were still in the grasp of the devil, God had already planned good works for you to accomplish. (Ephesians 2:10)

When all the armies of the earth gather together to finally destroy Christianity, God has already planned to demonstrate His sovereignty with absolute victory. (Revelation 20:9)

Perhaps you are feeling like your fundraising (or life!) isn't going according to your plan right now. If so, don't worry...

God has already planned something glorious to come from it.