Don't Give Up!

I’ve been writing Rhema every Thursday for 4 years. Sometimes, I hear what God wants me to say quickly and other times, I have to wait for it. Sometimes, I am super encouraged that the word is blessing people and other times, I feel like no one is reading it at all so why bother. Sometimes I get tired and just don’t feel like writing and other times, I wake up excited to get to my computer. It’s like life. There are highs and lows, joys and sorrows, success and failure. Sometimes, you just aren’t sure what your life is doing. But even in all of that, God keeps saying something consistently to me and I want to share it with you. Don’t give up! I’ve written these same words many times over the last 4 years but it bears repeating. Don’t give up!

I am a witness that life can wear you out. It can make you question your faith and even your commitment to God. Then when you add in the devil and his schemes, it can get completely crazy. But can I tell you something today? God is not unaware of your situation. With everything going on, you can sometimes fall into the trap of thinking you are out there on your own. But I feel the need to snap some folks out of a trance! You are not alone! God is present and aware of where you are right now! He knows how frustrated you have been by people and their lack of effort. He knows how tired you are of going around the same mountain over and over again. He even knows how disappointed you are with Him for not doing some things that you have prayed for. But God highlighted one of my favorite scriptures to help you out today. “God isn’t late with His promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining Himself on account of you, holding back the End because He doesn’t want anyone lost. He’s giving everyone space and time to change.” (2 Peter 3:9, MSG) Peter was talking about the last days but it gives me great comfort to know that God isn’t late with His promise. He’s working some things out for you and IN you that requires time. It also shows me that He is fully aware of our situations. So much so, that He won’t even bring about the Day of Judgment without giving us time to get ourselves together. Don’t give up!

I know some of you are at the “throw in the towel” stage. Some of you are inching toward the edge and contemplating a jump or a fall. But I just want to encourage you that God is there. He is Jehovah Shammah and He is present with you. He promised not to leave or forsake you. But can I also tell you that all of these things that are happening in your life are building something up in you? James 1: 2-4 encourages you, “when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” Don’t you want to get to that point? Do you want to be whole and complete without lack? Well, that’s what happens when you keep going instead of giving up. So imagine me sitting in front of you, looking you straight in the eye and saying, DON’T GIVE UP! You are so close! Your vision is going to come to pass! Your child is going to get delivered! Your marriage is going be restored! Your joy is being renewed! I have on good authority that if you believe it, God will do it! Don’t give up! Your process has a purpose and when you come out of it, your story is going to bless someone else.