Don't Give Up

There are moments in life where we grow weary of fighting the good fight, of running the race, of being the bigger the person, of doing the right thing, of staying pure, of being good, reading the Bible, going to church, of eating right, exercising, of apologizing, of being patient, being honest, treating others with kindness and love... you can fill in the other blanks.  We grow weary in doing good.  There are times in life, where we want to throw in the towel, throw our hands up in the air and scream to the heavens, "I quit!"

There's almost always a tipping point, a comment someone makes, a frustration at work, your kids misbehaving, your spouse ignoring you, you don't feel anything at church, someone disappoints you, again.  It's like the last drop that simply overfills our glass, soaking everything that lies underneath it.

There are moments when it's hard to fall asleep at night because your mind won't stop working, days it's hard to get up out of bed because you don't want to face another day.  Moments you cry in the shower or you shut your office door because you can't hold it all in anymore.  We whisper to ourselves and to God, "I'm done.  I can't do this anymore.  I quit."

But there's something inside of us that doesn't allow us to quit.  It forces us to get up off our skinned, bloody knees just one more time.  Motivates us to wipe the sweat off our brow and the tears from our cheeks and to try again.  Something that pushes us to take one more step forward.  It propels us to throw off the chains that are trying to hinder us and to stumble on!  It's a force that defies depression, fears and past failures.  It's gives a glimmer of hope that we can still cross that finish line.

There's an inner drive that we know isn't our own.  We know we're too far gone to have found another ounce of strength.  It's our destiny, our calling, our purpose.  It's His spirit being made strong in our weakness, it's Him receiving the glory, honor and praise because He is doing things through us.

It's moments like these where we must hang on to the promise that we will reap a harvest, that there will come a benefit from this.  That it's not all in vain.  That every sacrifice, every tear, every wound, every battle scar, every hurt, every failure, every rejection... will be worth it in the end. We hold on tightly to the promise that He works all things together for the good of those who love Him.

And for now, my weary brother or sister, we trust that God will hold up our arms because we can't do it alone, we trust that He will send an army of angels to fight our battles because we're just too beat up.  We trust that He will heal our hurts and wounds and make us stronger than before.  We hold tight to His promise that, "in the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9-10).

So stand up one more time, brush off your knees... wipe the sweat from your brow and the tears from your eyes... place your eyes on Jesus and take just one more step.  Don't give up.  This will pass.  You will make it.  This will be all worth it in the end.  Breathe.  Trust.  Repeat.

9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do goodto all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:9-10)