Have you felt like giving up lately?
A growing number of pastors and Christian educators have been writing to me in recent months telling of their concern for folks who are simply giving up, including themselves. One pastor called and said, “I see my people trying so hard to cope with problems in their marriages and pressures in their personal lives. Just when it seems victory is within reach, they stumble and fall. Good, honest Christians are so often overwhelmed by guilt and condemnation it causes despair. And when they can’t live up to their own expectations – when they fall back into sin and get involved – they decide to give up. Few know how to pull out of a moral tailspin.”
Positive thinking won’t make their problems go away. The cup of pain, the hour of isolation, and the night of confusion were all part of the Master’s lifestyle. Paul said, “For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened.” (2 Corinthians 5:4)
I doubt we could even count the great numbers of Christians who groan in secret be- cause of the burdens they carry. If you pulled back the facade from every great preacher and every admired personality, you would find moments of deep depression. Doubt creeps in and Satan whispers, “Nothing works. Faith in God doesn’t produce results.”
Every Christian on this planet reaches that crisis point at one time or another in life. David, overwhelmed by the evil in his heart, cried out, “Awake, why sleepest thou, 0 Lord? Arise, cast us not off forever. Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression.” (Psalm 44: 23, 24)
Christian – does it amaze you that great men of old faced the same battles you and I face today? The Bible says, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but some rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” (I Peter 2:12,13)
The first absolute is – God really loves me (You).”…and one of them (sparrow) shall not fall to the ground without your Father.” (Matt. 10:29) The second absolute is-It is my Faith that pleases Him the most. “Without faith it is impossible to please Him.” (Hebrews 11:6) The Bible says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:3) What do I do when temptation rolls over me like a flood? When my inadequacies overwhelm me and I see the reflections of my weaknesses? Give up? Quit? Never! I bring to God all I’ve go left – my faith in Him! I may not understand why He seems to take such a long time to intervene, but I know He will. He will keep His word to me.
I am convinced Satan wants to rob you and me of our one thing – faith. He really doesn’t want our morals or our good deeds or our dreams. He wants to destroy our faith and make us believe God has forsaken this earth. He loves us and wants to have us keep on trusting. So we will accept that love and keep our faith strong. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” (Isaiah 26:3)
Dr Paul Cates
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