Don’t Quit = We Win

Today I’m so aware of my inability to please God by my efforts of doing good, being faithful or attaining righteousness. It’s obvious I’m broken and not able to be “perfect as my Father in heaven is perfect.”  What am I to do?  Shall I submit to the temptation to quit?  Am I to throw in the towel and just give in to my carnal nature and unholy desires altogether?  That’s the temptation that plagues us constantly; just quit, give in, don’t fight against sin and our fallen nature anymore.

This is everyone’s story.  No one is exempt.  You’re struggle may look different than the next person but know this; everyone struggles in some area, everyone.  The key to victory and godliness: don’t quit.Don’t quit what?  Don’t quit the fight against the struggle of immorality, unfaithfulness, dishonesty, greed, fear or whatever area you’re weak and struggle in.  We have to do our part and stay in the fight.  God won’t do our part and we can’t do His part.  Our part is stay in the battle, resist sin, get back up when we fall, resist, confess.  Wage war on the area of sin that is entangling you.

God’s part is to deliver us which He has promised to do.  Know this for sure, He enjoys you during the process.  This is key in moving forward.  He’s not mostly sad during this part of your life.  He’s confident in His love and mercy towards you.  The question is, are you confident in His love and mercy?  If my son Owen is not confident in my love for him he has very little chance of growing into the man that I know he will someday be.  Owen will for sure make mistakes on the way.  Does this change the way I feel about him or his future?  Not a chance.  He must be confident in this.

Some are disabled by shame because you don’t see yourself rightly.  You don’t see what God sees when He looks at you.  We are not defined by our weakness.  I don’t define my son Owen by the times he misbehaves or gives in to his sinful nature.  We are not the person that sometimes does the things we don’t want to do.  No.  We are something completely opposite.  We are so much more; don’t quit the fight.  Believe that God sees the fight in your heart.

When we stay the course of life by getting back up, pushing delete and once again reaching for victory and complete obedience our true person is revealed.  We’re defined as godly, humble, righteous and great before God.  This is true.  This is the power of God.  His mercy and goodness says so.  God sees beyond our frailty and our failed attempts of righteousness.  He sees the fight in our spirit that refuses to stay down as if beaten by our weakness.  He sees the act of humility when once again we confess our sins one to another, yes, even if it’s the tenth time this month.  He sees the CHOICE of humility…and He calls it faithfulness, righteousness, beauty, attractive, holy!

This is so profound yet is so weak.  The humility of not quitting is great.  It’s real and humbling.  It takes a great deal of resolve, steadfastness, courage and faith in the tenderness of God.  It’s so weak and humbling that some, in times of temptation of quitting because of falling yet again, don’t get up.  It’s too humiliating.  It’s too weak.  Pride sometimes gets its way.  Let it not be said of you!  Humble yourself.  Get back up!  Put on humility and don’t quit!

Welcome to poverty of spirit, Matthew 5:3.  The kingdom of heaven belongs to you.

Lord give us grace to embrace the humility of not quitting.  God we vow to wage war on areas of sin in our lives.  We vow to not quit, to get back up when we fall, to confess and get it in the light.  Help us God.

Be blessed today,

Wesley D.