The Death Of Dabbling

The Death of Dabbling

I’ve never accomplished anything significant by dabbling. Have you? The list of things I’ve dabbled in is long, but I can assure you I am not even minimally proficient at any of it. For example, I’ll never perform in The Nutcracker or attend a showing of my original oil paintings or win yard of the month. Trust me.

Dabbling is quite common these days, but persevering is not. In fact, perseverance is an alien concept in a culture that demands constant gratification in almost every realm. Because we don’t wait for much, we don’t know much about persevering. Instead we dabble, flitting from one thing to another, looking for the quick payoff.

To keep at one thing (as opposed to dabbling at everything) requires a belief that the process is at least as worthwhile as the goal, and that the results are in God’s hands. King David knew about valuing the process. He learned early on that he would be Israel’s ruler, but it took his predecessor a long time to get the memo. Walking the path as it unfolded was an exercise for David in forward-looking faith, and each step prepared him for the role he would one day assume.

Our spiritual forefathers learned to prepare for the unseen, to dwell in uncertainty, to live with unfinished dreams, to participate in miracles, to choose the hard road for eternal profit, and to follow God into any impossibility.

Sometimes as he fulfills his plans for me, God prunes a dream or allows suffering or failure or loss or disappointment. It’s not the end. God’s part is to steer my course; my part is to persevere in it: to daily commit to him all my works and ways, believing that he will establish me and accomplish what is right.

I’ve dabbled in a lot of things—but I don’t want to dabble in my relationship with him. I want the real, delicious fruit that comes from following him all the way home.

Time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

Hebrews 11:32-34, NASB