Reason #41
Give up. If you don't like it, if you don't want to do it, if you think it's going to be too hard, if you are unhappy, if you'd rather do something else, then do it. Just give up... or give in... whatever is easiest for you.
What if Abraham had given up? God made a promise to Abraham that his descendants would outnumber the stars, but it was going to take a while and require a lot of moving. What if Abraham got tired of moving? What if he got tired of waiting for a child? What if he decided to just give up?
What if Noah decided not to build an ark? What if he decided that he would rather take his chances and see how this "flood thing" worked out? What if he thought God was asking a little much of him to build a gigantic boat and fill it with 2 of every kind of animal? What if rounding up all those animals was exhausting? What if Noah decided half way though his ark construction that it was too big of a job and was going to require more work than he wanted to do? What if he decided to just give up?
What if Moses decided he didn't want to lead God's people out of captivity? What if he thought it was going to be far too difficult to get them out of Egypt and felt he would have a much easier life if he opted out of that command? What if Moses got tired of leading the Israelites towards the Promised Land? What if he decided that putting up with a few million ungrateful, forgetful people was too hard to do? What if he decided that he'd rather just let someone else step up and take the lead rather than leading them as God asked him to do? What if he decided to just give up?
What if Joshua decided he didn't want to take over leading the Israelites after Moses' death? What if he decided that they should take the easy way out and not cross the Jordan River into the promised land, which was filled with potential battles? What if he decided it would be best to seek the advice of the Israelites rather than God? What if he felt like this job was a little more than he bargained for? What if he decided to just give up?
What if Daniel decided that he would go ahead and eat the king's food rather than sticking to his diet because it looked and smelled much better than the food he was going to be eating? What if he decided that he didn't want to interpret dreams anymore because it just wasn't a fun thing for him to do, he would rather spend his time doing something else? What if he decided he would just quit praying for his people because it seemed like things weren't going to be changing anytime soon anyway? What if he decided to just give up?
What if David decided not to face Goliath? What if he felt like the competition was unfair and the likelihood of him winning was slim to none? What if he decided that being a man after God's own heart required more obedience and discipline than he would like to practice? What if he decided to just give up?
What if Mary decided that she didn't want to have the Messiah? What if she decided that carrying a baby conceived out of wedlock was too embarrassing? What if she decided that she could have more fun as a young woman not having the responsibility of an unplanned baby rather than being a young mother? What if she decided that she didn't want to go with Joseph to Bethlehem for the census because the trip was going to be too long and not much fun? What if she decided that raising the son of God would require too much work and time? What if she decided to just give up?
What if Paul decided that he was tired of spreading the gospel? What if he decided that being persecuted was absolutely no fun and didn't make him happy, so he wasn't going to take it anymore? What if he decided that he preferred being a homebody rather than being on the road all the time? What if he felt like maybe others should step up rather than depending so heavily on him for guidance? What if he got tired of trying to set an example and live a life that brought glory to God? What if he decided that he'd rather go into a different line of work than the ministry? What if he decided that maybe he enjoyed his former life better than his converted life because he wasn't having to do such daring, scary, difficult things? What if he decided to just give up?
What if Jesus decided that after fasting for forty days he would go ahead and just eat some bread offered to him by the devil because well, his stomach was growling after all? What if Jesus decided that he was tired of healing the sick and raising the dead because it wasn't as fun as it seemed? What if Jesus decided that he wasn't ready to die at a young age? What if he decided that he just wasn't going to that cross even though his father was asking him to? What if he decided that he didn't feel happy about the fact that he would have to bare the burden of the whole world's sin on his shoulders? What if he decided, while hanging on the cross, it was too painful so he would go ahead and call down the angels to remove him? What if he decided to just give up?
What if these people had given up? They were called to do difficult, dangerous, challenging, and painful things. They were called to be obedient and to trust in God's will rather than seek their own. I'm sure the thought of giving up crossed their minds more than once. I bet that there were plenty of unhappy, stressful moments in their lives, and I bet that they could think of a hundred other things they would have rather done than what they were being called to do at the time. Imagine how our lives would have turned out had these individuals decided it would have been much easier for them to just give up.
So, when the going gets tough, do the tough get going... or do they decide to just give up?
Reason #41 - Because he never, ever gives up!
"You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." - Hebrews 10:36
What if Abraham had given up? God made a promise to Abraham that his descendants would outnumber the stars, but it was going to take a while and require a lot of moving. What if Abraham got tired of moving? What if he got tired of waiting for a child? What if he decided to just give up?
What if Noah decided not to build an ark? What if he decided that he would rather take his chances and see how this "flood thing" worked out? What if he thought God was asking a little much of him to build a gigantic boat and fill it with 2 of every kind of animal? What if rounding up all those animals was exhausting? What if Noah decided half way though his ark construction that it was too big of a job and was going to require more work than he wanted to do? What if he decided to just give up?
What if Moses decided he didn't want to lead God's people out of captivity? What if he thought it was going to be far too difficult to get them out of Egypt and felt he would have a much easier life if he opted out of that command? What if Moses got tired of leading the Israelites towards the Promised Land? What if he decided that putting up with a few million ungrateful, forgetful people was too hard to do? What if he decided that he'd rather just let someone else step up and take the lead rather than leading them as God asked him to do? What if he decided to just give up?
What if Joshua decided he didn't want to take over leading the Israelites after Moses' death? What if he decided that they should take the easy way out and not cross the Jordan River into the promised land, which was filled with potential battles? What if he decided it would be best to seek the advice of the Israelites rather than God? What if he felt like this job was a little more than he bargained for? What if he decided to just give up?
What if Daniel decided that he would go ahead and eat the king's food rather than sticking to his diet because it looked and smelled much better than the food he was going to be eating? What if he decided that he didn't want to interpret dreams anymore because it just wasn't a fun thing for him to do, he would rather spend his time doing something else? What if he decided he would just quit praying for his people because it seemed like things weren't going to be changing anytime soon anyway? What if he decided to just give up?
What if David decided not to face Goliath? What if he felt like the competition was unfair and the likelihood of him winning was slim to none? What if he decided that being a man after God's own heart required more obedience and discipline than he would like to practice? What if he decided to just give up?
What if Mary decided that she didn't want to have the Messiah? What if she decided that carrying a baby conceived out of wedlock was too embarrassing? What if she decided that she could have more fun as a young woman not having the responsibility of an unplanned baby rather than being a young mother? What if she decided that she didn't want to go with Joseph to Bethlehem for the census because the trip was going to be too long and not much fun? What if she decided that raising the son of God would require too much work and time? What if she decided to just give up?
What if Paul decided that he was tired of spreading the gospel? What if he decided that being persecuted was absolutely no fun and didn't make him happy, so he wasn't going to take it anymore? What if he decided that he preferred being a homebody rather than being on the road all the time? What if he felt like maybe others should step up rather than depending so heavily on him for guidance? What if he got tired of trying to set an example and live a life that brought glory to God? What if he decided that he'd rather go into a different line of work than the ministry? What if he decided that maybe he enjoyed his former life better than his converted life because he wasn't having to do such daring, scary, difficult things? What if he decided to just give up?
What if Jesus decided that after fasting for forty days he would go ahead and just eat some bread offered to him by the devil because well, his stomach was growling after all? What if Jesus decided that he was tired of healing the sick and raising the dead because it wasn't as fun as it seemed? What if Jesus decided that he wasn't ready to die at a young age? What if he decided that he just wasn't going to that cross even though his father was asking him to? What if he decided that he didn't feel happy about the fact that he would have to bare the burden of the whole world's sin on his shoulders? What if he decided, while hanging on the cross, it was too painful so he would go ahead and call down the angels to remove him? What if he decided to just give up?
What if these people had given up? They were called to do difficult, dangerous, challenging, and painful things. They were called to be obedient and to trust in God's will rather than seek their own. I'm sure the thought of giving up crossed their minds more than once. I bet that there were plenty of unhappy, stressful moments in their lives, and I bet that they could think of a hundred other things they would have rather done than what they were being called to do at the time. Imagine how our lives would have turned out had these individuals decided it would have been much easier for them to just give up.
So, when the going gets tough, do the tough get going... or do they decide to just give up?
Reason #41 - Because he never, ever gives up!
"You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." - Hebrews 10:36
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