What makes you want to give up?
Discouragement? Frustration? Sugar in all its forms?
I want to give up when I feel overwhelmed. Overworked. Overdone. I want to give up when I feel like the work I have done has gotten me about 2 inches instead of 2 miles closer to the goal. I want to give up when the change I am engaged in feels hopeless. I want to give up when my own life seems to rise up to stop all forward progress. That is when I want to give up.
When do you want to keep going? When do you want to persevere?
I want to persevere when I believe that it is possible, whatever “it” is. I want to keep going, keep changing, keep growing when I have a vision of what is possible.
Being in a thriving relationship with Jesus instigates change. He chooses us and changes us. His grace surrounds us and His love inspires us to hope for change. We put our trust in Him and step out in faith.
Change is hard and can feel like swimming upstream but in Jesus, it is possible.
The definition of perseverance is “persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success”.
What is the difficulty you are facing today?
What is the delay that is discouraging you?
My friend, don’t give up.
Don’t quit today.
Rest but don’t quit.
Give yourself grace but don’t quit.
“Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything”. – James 1:4 NIV
As I was getting ready for the Becoming Beloved Bible Study this week, I came across the above verse. Let perseverance finish its work – as if “perseverance” is a friend who has come over to help you clean up your house before the party or maybe clean up the house after it. As if “perseverance” is a servant of the Most High God who works in you all that Jesus has done for you.
Perseverance reminds us that there is more for us than we can see today. It encourages us to look beyond the current circumstance we are facing and in faith look to the possibilities God has for us tomorrow. Perseverance gives us the courage to keep going and reminds us that we “live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)
When we are tired and overwhelmed, perseverance comes in and says, ”Look up and don’t give up. God has more for you than you are living and is with you now to help you get there. It is hard but you can do hard things.”
Perseverance has work to do in you.
There are prayers you have prayed that will only be answered by persevering.
Don’t give up.
Keep on keeping on.
Get up and begin again.
Let perseverance finish its work in you.
You are worth it.
– Cindy Grasso