Press On!!!

Were you ever given a task? Has God ever told or directed you to do something? Or have you been called to a large endeavor? Was it always easy? Was there always smooth sailing? Have you ever given up? Tossed it into the ‘too hard’ bin?
Giving up is a temptation, especially when the going gets hard, the task is long, or there seems to be no fruit. Granted, we need encouragement to carry on. I once preached on ‘Encouraging Yourself in the Lord’, which is what David did at one of the lowest, but most crucial points in his life. I’m not here to speak on encouragement today, but on the singular choice we must make in the face of difficulty, while on a task that has been directed by God.
We could be talking about a calling, a major task, or an endeavor, but it doesn’t always have to be such a campaign. It could be simple obedience to Biblical direction like, avoiding a particular sin, staying married to your wife, obeying authority, or anything the Scriptures teach us to do. Massive discouragement and opposition can and will come, in these things too. As in the case of a calling or a task, what should our choice be? Should we pack it in, give up, blame it on the other guy, or the opposition, or the Ultimate Enemy? What do you think? Is it ok to throw away your marriage or give into a sin because it gets hard? I don’t think so.
Here, as in with any task that we know is from God, there must be an initial decision, a mindset that sets our course and keeps our face set in the face of opposition. The decision has been made. Now, in the face of opposition, difficulty or downright impossibility, it often becomes necessary to revisit that decision, that determination and freshly set our minds to the task or challenge. Afterall, who called us to the task? Has He changed His mind? Now, I realize that there are seasons for some tasks. He does move us on to new things sometimes. However, has He actually done this? Has He moved you on, or has it just become hard?

“God knows our situations, He will not judge us as if we had no difficulties to overcome. What matters is the sincerity and perseverance of our will to overcome them.” C.S. Lewis

If God has called you to something, whether it be to simple obedience to His teaching, or some great task that He’s called you to, you need to make, keep and come back to the same determination to obey Him no matter what the opposition or difficulty. Opposition and difficulty are a given, but if He has spoken and has not relented, then you need to persevere in  the task.
The same is true with our ministry. Much has been accomplished. Many have been reached. Yet it’s not finished. It’s been hard, very hard, sometimes impossible. It’s over my head, ‘above my pay grade’. However, here we still are. Furthermore, I know that if I keep to that task, the outcome will be, possibly the greatest innovation for reaching the Muslim world since perhaps, the airplane (allowing us to access our field quickly). I just need to never give up, never give in.
In this New Year, even in these uncertain times, you also need to determine to never give up, never give in. Afterall, resist the enemy and he will flee from you. Now, I’m not suggesting the end of all difficulty. However, the Word teaches, ‘And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.’, Gal. 6:9. So set your face to the task and never give in, Persevere! You will reap the reward. And you know where you’ll find me.