Never Give Up
2 Timothy 4:7
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Today I would like to speak to someone who is feeling like giving up. The burdens of this life have become too heavy to bear. You feel that life has dealt you a big blow. You are drained both physically and mentally and you wish to throw in the towel. That no matter how hard you pray, God seems to be lacking in the equation. He seems to be taking eternity to show up and do something about your circumstances. You are experiencing affliction — maybe it's the death of a family member, the pain of divorce, or the heartbreak of a disobedient child , loss of a job (especially with the post COVID effect), loss of health, relationship turmoil or whatever other challenges. You feel you are alone swimming against the tide in murky waters as you cry through the night and your pillows are soaked with tears.
Guess who is the author of discouragements? It is Satan who wants to use our temporal situations to convince us to doubt God’s faithfulness. Giving up seems to be the easy way out but it will not solve anything. God’s word declares that it’s possible to face the agonizing realities of life with joy because the testing of your faith produces steadfastness (James 1:2–3), and suffering gives rise to endurance (Romans 5:3).
In fact, trials commonly make you increasingly bitter, despondent, impatient, envious, frustrated or even discouraged. If you respond in unbelief, suffering will produce bitter fruit. But if you do not give up, suffering can produce a harvest of righteousness (Galatians 6:9; James 3:18).
It is possible that the situation you are in is so bad and you feel you are not well equipped to handle it alone. Reach out for help. Don't be held back by pride and arrogance. God’s grace ought to humble us by reminding us that our temptations aren’t unique to us and that God promises to enable endurance and provide ways of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). Knowing that everyone needs help encourages us to ask for it.
So brother sister whatever you are going through God wants you to hang on there. Hebrews 10:23 says, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful”. Apostle Paul endured many challenges from persecution to rejection and imprisonment, yet he stood firm in the faith. In the end he could write , “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” ( 2 Timothy 4:7). What a testimony!
May you have a smile on you face today not because all is well but because the son righteousness reigns in you heart.
Amen