DON’T GIVE UP!
DON’T GIVE UP!
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. —Galatians 6:9
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. —I Corinthians 15:58
Brothers and sisters, dear fellow followers of Jesus—
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” —Hebrews 2:1-2
We each have a race to run individually and together. Sometimes we are by ourself running and other times we are running together. Each of our races are unique and yet there are commonalities in our races. Only our Lord God Almighty knows the full course. We only know it as we “run” it. But we need to persevere and “not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Feeling like giving up?
One time I was swimming and I had gone two miles with only one-half mile to go. I hit a “wall” and did not think I could go any further. There was a little island off to my right and I thought, “Maybe I will swim over to it and rest.” Then I also thought, “I have already come two miles and only one-half mile to go. I am not going to give up!” And I pushed through the “wall” with renewed strength and finished. But it would have been easier to give up.
Maybe you have hit a “wall.” Don’t give up! We have the strength of our Lord as we run this race. And “those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31). Here’s what we need to do…
- Don’t grow weary in doing good
- Don’t give up
- Stand firm
- Let nothing move you
- Always give yourselves to the work of the Lord
- Know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain
- Know that in due season we will reap
The “key” to pushing through the “wall” is to keep “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” Look to His example of pushing through the “wall” which was the cross and did so “For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” That was the race marked out for Jesus. That was the plan of God and Jesus ran it with perseverance. Now, let us run the race He has marked out for us with perseverance, not growing weary and standing firm in Him as we keep our eyes fixed on Him. Yes, the key is to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus! And so, Dear Father, may I keep my eyes fixed on Jesus as I run this race with perseverance by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus. Yes, so may I run! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ4lAVu9VwU