Giving Up or Giving In

 

By Andrea Merrell

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. 

At just the right time

we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

Galatians 6:9 NLT

 

 

“I give up,” the man said. “This Christian life is too hard. I can’t possibly do everything that’s expected of me.”

Unfortunately, he had put unrealistic expectations on himself that were impossible to live up to. He felt like a failure. He constantly disappointed himself and believed he was letting God down in the process.

Trying to live a perfect life will wear us down and make us want to quit. But the Bible says, “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good.” Why? Because “at just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”

So what exactly is the good the verse is referring to? What does God expect from us? According to Ecclesiastes 12:13, we are to “fear God, and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”

God doesn’t want us to make serving Him so difficult that we get tired, frustrated, and burned out. He doesn’t want us to quit. His desire is for us to stop striving and surrender ourselves completely to Him. To love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. That’s what the Christian life is all about—not in all the doing, but in being ... exactly who He created us to be.

Are you weary? Don’t give up, give in.

Photo courtesy of Unsplash.com and Zachary Ferguson.

Take Time to Rest

 

By Andrea Merrell

Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.

Mark 6:31 NIV

 

“Are you too busy to rest,” someone asked. “Do you feel guilty when you take time for yourself?”

I used to stay so busy and tightly wound that it was hard for me to relax—ever. Even on vacation I would continually think of all the things I should be doing instead. It took me days to unwind. By the time I was actually operating in chill-mode, it was time to go home and get back to work.

There is power in rest. It’s a spiritual principle. God created the world in six days, then rested. Jesus took time to find a solitary place to rest when He was weary. He even slept in a boat in the middle of a storm. He told His disciples on numerous occasions to “come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

No one, as the cliché goes, can burn the candle at both ends for very long. We can’t work 24/7 and expect to stay happy and healthy. Rest is essential for our well-being.

If you’re weary, give yourself a break. If you’re addicted to activity and technology, unplug and unwind. Spend quality time with the Lord. Just as He said to the disciples, He is saying to you, “come with me … and get some rest.” Why? The Word for You Today says, “because when you don’t come apart, you fall apart.”

(Photo courtesy of Aleksandar Cvetanovic on Unsplash.)

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When the Pressure Gets Too Great

By Andrea Merrell

 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden,

and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you 

and learn from Me,

for I am gentle and lowly in heart, 

and you will find rest for your souls. 

For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV

I felt like I was going down for the third time, overwhelmed by circumstances far beyond my control. If one more thing was thrown at me, I would surely go under.

Do you ever feel as if you’ll never hold up under the burdens you carry? We face pressure is so many ways. It might be excruciating pain in our body, a lack of finances, or a failed relationship. We agonize over prodigal children, work-related issues, and addictive behavior. The Bible calls these the “cares of this life.”

Spiritual battles are tough. The Enemy cranks up the pressure, hoping to wipe us out. What he fails to realize is that God uses the pressure to develop us, not destroy us

The truth about pressure is it’s not always a bad thing. Great wine comes from crushing the carefully tended grapes. And diamonds are formed by that same crushing force. Even a pressure cooker produces a variety of delicious foods.

When the apostle Paul couldn't take it anymore, he cried out to God for help. God's answer? "My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9 TM).

Paul's response? "It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take my limitations in stride and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size: abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over. And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become" (v.v. 9-10 TM).

Sometimes, the pressure we experience will transform our thinking, help us see people and situations in a new light, or move us from one place to another. The key is in not facing it alone. Jesus tells us to come to Him when we’re weary so we can find rest. The Message says He will teach us the “unforced rhythms of grace.”

The Lord came to my rescue, and He'll do the same for you. If you're in a spiritual battle, cry out to Him and allow His grace to pull you through. He'll give you everything you need ... peace, strength, comfort, wisdom, and direction. When the pressure gets too great, let Jesus take over. Your faith will grow, and you'll come out victorious.

Are you weary? Reach out to Jesus. He’s waiting for you.

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and digitalart.)

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Are you weary? Reach out to Jesus. He’s waiting for you. via @AndreaMerrell (Click to tweet.)

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