The Greater Work

Icebergs, what in the world do they have to do with what’s going on in your life?  My husband, Bob, had surgery and developed an infection. We were praying earnestly for his healing.  As I was crying out to the Lord one night, He used the illustration of an iceberg to begin revealing what was really going on in our lives. You can only see the part of an iceberg that is above the surface of the water, and I had no idea know how much of an iceberg is hidden. Wikipedia says that typically only one-ninth of the volume of an iceberg is above water. The shape of the underwater portion can be difficult to judge by looking at the portion above the surface.

This has led to the expression “tip of the iceberg“, for a problem or difficulty that is only a small manifestation of a larger problem.  Bob and I were so focused on him recovering from the surgery and the infection all we could see was the physical problem and what we thought God needed to do.  Bob is an action person and the forced inactivity was very hard on him, but God used it to put us in a place where we had to stop and take a hard look at our relationship with Him.  Since Bob’s retirement we had just sort of drifted along, we got spiritually lazy and couldn’t seem to find our place. I am so thankful God would not leave us in that state!

When I dress his wound I only see the surface, but we know a healing is going on underneath the skin and that part must close up before the healing can be complete.  In the same way God is at work in the spirit realm, underneath what we can see with our physical eyes, performing a FAR GREATER WORK than we could ever begin to imagine.

The infection in Bob’s body was nothing compared to the infection that was developing in our spirits, but God is a healer of spirits as well as bodies;  He is interested in our total restoration.  If you compare His work to an iceberg, that means eight-ninths of what God is doing FOR us is not visible TO us.  He is performing a FAR GREATER WORK than anything we could ever imagine or hope for; and when He is finished we will come forth as gold that has been tried in the fire; pure and untarnished.  So when you are faced with a situation you can’t understand, remember it is just the “tip of the iceberg”; not of the problem, but of what God is doing.  He is at work!  You can’t see Him, but He is there!

So don’t give up, stay in the lifeboat, help is on the way and your deliverance is going to be amazing.  Let me close with this prayer: Now to God who can do so many awe-inspiring things, immeasurable things, things greater than we ever could ask or imagine through the power at work in us, to Him be all glory in the church and in Jesus the Anointed from this generation to the next, forever and ever. Amen. (Ep. 3:20-21 The Voice)

Do Your work Lord, do Your work!