Do you ever feel like giving up?
You find yourself saying:
- This is too hard.
- I won’t be able to finish anyway.
- I’m not good enough.
- I’m too tired.
- I want to run away.
- The pressure is too great.
- I can’t do this.
- I can never change.
It’s not worth the effort. - I haven’t seen results yet.
Oh please don’t give up.
You and I have heard many reasons for not giving up. Success is right around the corner. You’re stronger than you think you are. The pain is worth the gain. “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”
Here’s one I haven’t thought of before in so many words.
Don’t give up because God hasn’t given up on you.
He hasn’t. Our Lord thinks you can do whatever He has asked you to do. He thinks you are capable, strong, and the right person for the job. He knows it is possible for you to change into a righteous person who actively expresses your faith through the power of the Holy Spirit that He has put inside you. He’s confident you can stand up to Satan’s schemes. And He is certain you have the courage to face the obstacles and the endurance to finish the race.
And he also knows that what is waiting for you at the finish line is worth the pain, sacrifice, loss of reputation, blood, sweat, and tears you have had to endure. The results may be deferred to a later time. But they are coming.
I know. You can get so tired and so discouraged that you think, “If I just quit, all this pain would go away. Satan would leave me alone and I could have a life again.”
Don’t do it.
Polycarp, an early church father, was arrested for his faith in Jesus. The authorities gave him one last chance to deny Jesus. Polycarp said, “Fourscore and six years have I served him, and he has never done me injury; how then can I now blaspheme my King and savior?” (Read the full story of Polycarp’s martyrdom here.)
Don’t give up. God has not given up on you.
What do you do if you are tempted to give up or “back off” too soon?
- Get rest.
- Get help.
- Get perspective.
- Get back on track.
Finally, look at Jesus standing at the finish line. If He is for you, who can ever stand to be against you? (Check out Romans 8:31.)
Hang in there, my friend. And if you aren’t facing a give-up season in your life at this moment, look for someone who is struggling. Give them an encouraging word so they can keep going. When we all move forward together toward the finish, helping each other, we’ll be stronger than we’ve even been before.
Thank you Karen for sharing this very timely message. I personally have been at the brink of “giving up” over the past year. But instead of giving up I give it all to God. I can’t do it alone but with him I can. I know this may sound cliche but it’s the simple truth. I can’t do it, he has to do it through me or it just can’t happen. Seriously if it was up to me and my flesh self I would of given up the day they put my daughter in an ambulance as I through clothes in a bag for my grandchildren. Give it to him, he sees the big picture and has everything he needs to accomplish what is best. Trust that he will work it out, because he will he’s faithful. It might not look like how you would of fixed it, in the end it will be better. I count on it!!
I’m so grateful it was a timely message for you. I love how the Lord works in that way.