Futility is Not Our Future

It’s good to be back! I haven’t put words down here in over two months, but the time has come.

I interrupted my own Creation series, so I’ll just jump in where we left off and finish Day 3 through the month of September.

Here’s what Genesis tells us about the third day of Creation:

And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered into one place, so that the dry land may appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land “earth,” and the gathering of waters He called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.

Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth vegetation: seed-bearing plants and fruit trees, each bearing fruit with seed according to its kind.” And it was so. The earth produced vegetation: seed-bearing plants according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.

Genesis 1:9-13 BSB

Now I can’t tell you that forsythia was around that day, because I wasn’t there. But since it belongs to the plant kingdom, it’s what I’m writing about!

Stress

Our yard is lined on two sides with forsythia, creating a living barrier between our house and the street. Much of it has been stressed over the past year from last summer’s drought and sewer construction.

This week I’ve been trimming out a ton of dead stalks, which make for very unattractive bushes.

Just look at that poor thing!

Its neighbor looks much better, although much smaller after trimming, with a number of new, healthy stalks.

The bushes could have just given up, but the roots persevered and pushed up new growth in spite of the stressors they’d been through.

Forsythia is actually ridiculously difficult to get rid of were I to attempt it. It just won’t give up!

It reminds me of something from Romans:

The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

Romans 8:19-21

Forsythia is subjected to futility. It will die at some point, but it continues striving for life no matter what fights against it. One day death will be no more!

Fighting Futility

Back to my absence. I had started listening to outside voices telling me how to expand my reach and grow my audience, because people needed to hear what I had to say!

I became overwhelmed with all the sideways energy not producing results, and my focus was distracted from what God had called me to do: just write.

I was feeling that my efforts were futile and not worth the effort, so I shut down and gave up. For a season.

God had to remind me that my work for him is not wasted, and the results are completely up to him when I give him my best.

In my doubt I’d forgotten that I actually do enjoy writing!

God’s timing is not up to me, either. In the months I was unproductive, previous posts took off in Germany. If you’re joining me from Germany, thank you, and welcome to my little neck of the world!

Who am I to say where, when, or how my words will make a difference? I am simply called to be obedient to what God tells me to do.

So here I am, world! Fighting futility and writing about what inspires me.

If you’ve found yourself in a similar fog, let me share a few encouraging verses with you.

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:58

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Colossians 3:23-24

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.

Ephesians 2:10

Don’t let the world define your success, friend. Choose obedience to your Creator, and trust him with the outcome.