Have you ever wanted to give up? Maybe something has you tempted to throw in the towel right now?

What is it?

What change are you waiting on that has shredded your patience? Have you been praying the same prayer day upon day, upon decades? Are you questioning if God is listening, cares, or maybe just has some twisted only-to-be-revealed-in-eternity reason for keeping things “as is?”

I get it.

I’ve battled fear and anxiety my entire existence. I’ve prayed for people a dozen plus years that remain seemingly shattered and unchanged. I’ve worked relentlessly to cling to God, obey his instruction, and follow his calls, but the fruit hasn’t blossomed quite as I hoped or expected. No, not one of us is exempt from the exhausting wait.

A few months back…

I published a devotion about the truth of God’s mighty fight taking place in and through us, regardless of our self-sufficient striving, as children reliant on him. And within hours of its release I was crushed to receive an email reply from a frustrated follower that in summary read… I give up.

She claimed she’d been leaning on God for the past year with no “help or peace on the horizon,” and no longer believed these promises I pleaded to be true.

She was giving up, and I was grieved. Ok, maybe first a touch fired up as she also asked to be taken off my email list. But, then swallowed with heartache as I witnessed a sister in Christ turning away from the very thing, the ONLY thing, that has true potential to help her. Devastating.

We can’t do this. Friends, we NEED him. I know waiting is oh so hard. But giving up is harder. What hope would we have then? HE is our hope. His promises are faithful and TRUE. 

You may feel like giving up now or later when the seeming silence lingers. But, he’s working out all of our messes. Some take longer to dismantle and bear fruit than others. And many times he wants to pry deeper into our stubborn souls and work in us more than we knew we needed. And true also that most of the time we don’t and won’t “get it” this side of heaven. 

But, God never gives up on us. We are his beloved children and “GOOD” is his promised plan for all things you are praying and waiting for.

Reread, breathe in, and meditate on this truth today. And find rest in the peace of hope as you wait on the good Lord.

Reflect:

What are you feeling hopeless over, discouraged in, or on the brink of giving up about? Will you acknowledge today that relying on God’s promises provides a fresh dose of hope that only He can continue to provide?

Pray:

Lord, Waiting is so hard. But, please help me to never give up, because you never give up on me. You are always working for my good. IN YOU there is ALWAYS hope. My hope ALONE is in you. Thank you for your goodness and hope. In your faithful name, Amen.

Seek the Word:

I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. (Psalm 130:5)

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12)

For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.  (Psalm 33:4)

Have a blessed week! 

Your friend, Keri Ann

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