When God speaks into our lives we can be excited and full of faith that what He’s said will come to pass. But when troubles come, when things get hard, when the promises are taking a long time to be fulfilled, we can start to waver. We doubt whether we really heard God, we think we’re not actually the right person to do the job He asked us to do, and we allow disappointment to fill our hearts. We listen to the critical voices of others who try and convince us that we’re not good enough and that God wouldn’t use us. God called Isaiah to be a prophet. He gave Isaiah words and visions to speak to His people. When we’re speaking out God’s truth, some people can come against us and try to stop us. This was Isaiah’s response: ‘Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone, determined to do his will. And I know that I will not be put to shame.’ Setting his face like a stone meant that He was unmoveable, unshakeable, and focused. He was determined to do what God called Him to do, no matter what came up against him. We need to do the same. We need to set our faces like stone, and be focused and determined to follow God’s calling, remember His promises, and trust Him, when everything in our lives is telling us to do otherwise. To succeed we must stay focused on what’s important, and pursue our goals without wavering or hesitating. We need to keep our eyes on the finish line, trusting God to help us – because He will.

What Now?

Declare the words of Isaiah 50:7 over yourself for the next few days. See if it changes how focused you are on what God’s called you to do.