Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
For with God nothing shall be impossible. Luke 1:37
Introduction
I know many of you perhaps have heard this over and over again not to give up. Many of you have been waiting for years for your breakthrough and you are wondering if you will ever get a breakthrough. Sometimes the very moment you decide to give up may be the time your breakthrough will come.
We have to increase our faith, believe in God, be patient and watch the move of our God takes place in our lives.
I failed my first college exam which was Economics 101. I thought my world was turning upside. I wanted to dropped the class and give up. Thank God for two of my international friends, Lucy and Salina who encouraged me not to quit and to remain in the class. In the end, believe it or not, I ended up getting an A in the class. In fact, economics became one of my favourite subjects in college. I am now seriously considering doing a PHd in Economics.
Have Faith
One of the principles for not giving up should be based on Faith. Hebrews 11:1 states that “Now faith is the [a]substance of things hoped for, the [b]evidence of things not seen.” You do not know how it is going to happen but you know it is going to happen based on the promises from God. Keep believing. The devil will plant doubts in your mind and you may end up giving up because you have been waiting too long. Be alert. Maintain your faith and do not fall for the devil’s trap.
Do not take Short Cuts
I know the struggle is real and you get tired of waiting for the promises or the answers to your prayer.
God promised Abraham at the age of 75 that he would be a father of many nations. Ten years later, nothing happened so Sarah allowed Abraham to sleep with their servant Hagar and she gave birth to a son Ishmael. However, that was not the promise that God made to Abraham. Ishmael was not the one. Abraham and Sarah took short cuts. In the end, as promised by God, Abraham (at age 100) and Sarah (at age 90) became the father of Isaac, the promised son through which Abraham became the father of many nations.
Therefore, do not take short cuts in life. Sometimes the short cuts you take in life can have an everlasting impact on you thus making you regretful about some of the choices you made. Sarah was sorry she made that choice. Hagar despised Sarah and Sarah mistreated her. In the end Hagar ran away.
Some of us give up quickly. Some of you want a husband or wife desperately and so you get involve in the wrong relationship and perhaps got married and end up regretting it because it was not the right person. However, you made a commitment to your married husband or wife.
Some of you want a child and because of your age, you end up having a child without a husband but some of you also end up being a single parent. Do not take short cuts.
Some of you want a financial breakthrough but you are tired of waiting, so you use your funds to gamble or play the lottery.
Some of you have a business and you are facing some setbacks and you end up closing your business. Do not give up on your dreams. If you are pursuing your passion. Do not give up. There were many times I felt like giving up on my business too but God comes through all of the time.
Just wait a little bit longer and God will come to your rescue.
You have a Purpose
Too many of us have yet to fulfil the purpose that we are here on this earth for so we should not give up until we have completed our purpose. I am 48 and I just found out my purpose.
Search deep within you for your purpose and whatever situations you are going through, do not give up because you have some tasks to complete. Many people have died without completing their purpose. Some did not know what their purpose was. Some knew and did not try to pursue it because of fear. Some of us just give up and believe it was not meant to be because of the obstacles that they encountered.
Do not give up.
Your Circumstances are Temporary
Many of us have accepted our situations as permanent and as result we give up. Believe that what you are going through is just temporary. If you believe this, then you would not give up because you would have hope that you will get out of this current situation you are in. According to Romans 4:18, Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
Nothing is Impossible
If you believe in God then you should know that nothing is impossible with God. If you seriously believe this then this should be an incentive for you not to give up. No matter how impossible the situation looks, do not give up. For with God nothing shall be impossible. Luke 1:37
Conclusion
As we continue to live on this earth, we will encounter all sorts of issues. Sometimes the issues appear to be overbearing and so you feel like giving up. Trust me, I know the feeling but we should not give up for greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. God is greater than all forces in the world. If you believe this, then rely on him and do not give up.