Yesterday was the grand opening of our new home at Formation Church, where I have the privilege of serving as pastor.
While I could go on and on about all the amazing moments of the day, at the top of that list would have to be hearing a room filled with people singing the lyrics:
Even when I don't see it, You're working
The truth is, songs like this are important because more often than not, our circumstances look and feel like God is not, in fact, working.
I’ll tell you a story in case you haven’t heard it…
At the end of last year, our leadership council at Formation had an important decision to make. The lease on our little ministry center was set to expire this past May, and we had to decide if we were going to extend our lease or look for a new space to rent.
It was a difficult decision.
The Difficult Decision
On the one hand, our ministry center had proven prohibitive to our ability to grow. At 4,000 square feet and buried behind a motorcycle dealership, it didn’t really position us to welcome new people.
But on the other hand, we’ve found it virtually impossible to find space to rent. The entire reason we ended up worshipping in our little ministry center was that we had more than 25 event spaces decline renting to us on Sunday mornings.
So the decision felt like the definition of a rock and a hard place.
But after some thorough discussion, we made the decision that it was best for our community to extend our lease and stay where we were, despite the fact that we knew it was going to be hard, if not impossible, to truly grow.
The good news is, we were united in and at peace with our decision.
The Text
But a couple of months later came “the text.” Our landlord notified us that his own business was expanding, and he needed to take back our space rather than allow us to sign an extended lease.
It felt like one more slammed door down an endless hallway of slammed doors.
My friend and fellow pastor, Tyler Drewitz, said it best in a letter he wrote me:
“I really felt like the notice from our landlord was the final step of God saying, ‘Good job, but it’s time to wind down.’”
A Crazy Idea
But somehow, after that initial wave of discouragement came and went, we had a crazy idea. For some reason I can only attribute to God, we decided that because trying to find a place to rent on Sundays had been such a pain, we would try to buy our own building.
The problem, we didn’t have the money for that. So we emailed a few people, pitching our idea, and asking for help.
And largely because of the extravagant generosity of one person, we were able to buy the building we worshipped in last Sunday.
The Imperceptible Work of God
Now, here’s the thing I can’t stop thinking about. The building we bought is one of the event venues that told us they couldn’t rent to us on Sundays. And I’d be lying if I didn’t admit there is some sweet irony in now owning it.
But far more than that, there’s a profound lesson about the person and work of God.
Years ago when this space and so many others kept telling us “no,” it looked like God wasn’t working on our behalf. It felt like God wasn’t working on our behalf.
But the truth is, God was saying, “I understand what you’re asking of me. But I don’t want you to rent this building from someone else. I want to give it to you instead.”
Now that we’re on the other side of it I’m happy to admit, that God’s plan is so much better than ours was.
So here’s what I want to invite you to consider today: Where in your life does it look and feel like God isn’t working?
Maybe it’s in a relationship?
Maybe it’s in an illness?
Maybe it’s in your job?
Maybe it’s in your own spiritual life?
Where in your life does it look and feel like God isn’t working?
Rather than avoid or ignore it, I invite you to acknowledge and name it. And then, I want to invite you to sing or pray these words into that space:
Even when I don't see it, You're working
Even when I don't feel it, You're working
You never stop, You never stop working
One of the most challenging realities of life with God is that He often works in imperceptible ways.
But make no mistake, even when you don’t see it or feel it, God is working.
And until you see it and you can feel it, keep declaring that truth and fighting for hope.
Yes, this. So much of the work God is doing in us and around us is quiet, slow, and unseen like seeds beneath the soil. Thank you for the reminder to trust the process, even when it feels imperceptible.
That our story could be one to lift the hearts and souls of others is just one more miracle God has asked and allowed us to participate in. ♥️ I’m still reeling and processing from this whirlwind of God at work. Here’s to a chapter of change none of us could have manufactured for ourselves. 🥂