I Didn't Have to Quit

One day I was preparing for a Sunday School lesson and had some scattered thoughts that refused to settle into any kind of order. It was Saturday evening, and I was tired of working.

Satan whispered, "You might as well quit." It sounded like a good idea to me.

I turned around in my chair and glanced at the books in the bookcase behind me. My eyes fell on a title of a book I didn't even know I had: You Don't Have to Quit. I smiled at God's prompting and turned back to my computer. In an hour or so, the order that had eluded me was suddenly obvious.

Faith and faithfulness are translated from the same Greek word. Faith means we set our wills to believe; faithfulness includes the persevering acts that follow that belief. It is impossible to separate the two.

When we don't quit, we discover that, although the task may look unachievable, as we proceed, God guides, often closing or opening doors to allow us to do what looked impossible.

Those who persevere know the value of staying focused. If God gives us a desire, we say "Yes" to that desire and "No" to everything else. Most of us can say, "Ten things I dabble in" rather than saying with Paul "one thing I do" (Philippians 3:13).

Satan never relaxes his attempts to discourage our faithfulness. He sees behind the scenes to the unseen world where the only thing that matters is who is faithful.

Thank You, Jesus, that whenever I'm impressed by the Spirit to attempt what looks impossible, Your presence accompanies my efforts.

"You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised" (Heb. 10:36).