WE LIVE ON, Paul says. In the face of hunger, death, crisis, persecution, poverty, calamity, lack, insufficiency, maltreatment, sorrow, loss, insults, and many oppositions, he did not give up. He chose to LIVE on, and continue sharing the Gospel of Christ. He did not give up.
Whatever you may be going through right now, beloved, continue living with the fervor for the love of God. Continue walking, because Someone is holding your hand. Whatever circumstances you may be faced with, know that Jesus can turn it for your good. Know that it doesn’t mean it’s already over when everything is lost. It’s not over, because Jesus, when He died on the Cross and rose again, has already won victory for you. So don’t give up. Your strength is not your strength. It’s from God. You can still stand up. If only you’ll take the risk of moving forward and not letting your situation keep you stuck, you’ll find how much God has equipped you— how much power and joy He has put in you. You’ll realize that He has never left you, and ALL is not lost. ALL is Jesus. And He is with you.
Don’t give up. Jesus has enabled you with so much, and those little setbacks Satan keep on sending towards you are so small and puny in the face of our God. He has a victory for you. Have hope in the destination God has prepared for you, not on where you are on right now. A greater place exists, beloved, and that’s where you’re headed.
Live on, because your life isn’t yours. You have the life of Christ. It won’t end in failure and hopelessness. In the midst of all these troubles, know that they will soon pass away, and God is leading you out of them. Keep on walking by faith.
Life is like a Marathon
1. Pain is part of the process. There’s no way to train for a distance race without having every part of your body hurting at some point. It’s the same in life. Pain means we’re growing; we’re being stretched beyond our limits. In life, God always uses our pain to bring about growth.
2. Stay in your lane. In life, we’re so quick to measure our progress against other people, but God never wants us playing the comparison game. His plan for each of our lives is masterfully unique! Run your own race and don’t be prideful of anyone you’re outpacing and don’t be discouraged by anyone who is outpacing you.3. Keep Moving Forward. You might not be going very fast, but always keep moving forward. The Apostle Paul write that he was, “forgetting what was behind and straining to reach the prize that was ahead.” Don’t focus on how far you still have to go…just keep taking one step at a time. God will always give you strength for that next step until you finish the race.
4. Stay hydrated. With running, if you don’t have enough water in you, you’ll never finish. In life, if you don’t have the Living Water (Jesus) in you, you’ll never finish.
