Why Should You Keep Going?

There’s something that goes on with our thinking.

We will keep going with something if we see the point in it and that point is far greater than anything that we go through to get there.

Often, however, there are a number of issues that crop up that makes the point of persevering very hard indeed. Challenges arise that make you reflect on the point and genuinely question if it is worth all the hassle. That’s the thing, you see, it’s the hassle. The strife, the discontent, the headaches, the arguments, the missed opportunities, the occasional sleepless night and the nagging. All of a sudden it would appear better if you just packed it in and put it down to a noble idea at the time but it cost far too much. Far too much mental strain, far too much emotional exhaustion, far too much relational hardship. It would probably be better to either pack it up or at least put it on hold as you consider your options.

It is easy for me to be critical when I read the behaviour of the children of Israel when Moses was sent to help them experience liberty. The amount of times the the people would complain to Moses at seemingly the first sign of a setback. It’s easy to to be critical. Bear in mind, though, that this is new for the people. They may not like being slaves in Egypt, but it is what they’ve known for generations. It’s all they’ve known for generations. The thought of ever experiencing freedom seemed like a pipe dream and the worst thing you can do in that situation is to dangle the possibility of freedom only to see it snatched away by the circumstances. Far better not to endure that grief. So that whole journey for the generation who saw the mighty deeds of God in delivering them still was balanced against the nervousness of dealing with a new situation that was nothing like what they were used to. It was not the freedom they had hoped for and it wasn’t the home comforts they were used to. Why should they have kept going? Sadly the people did not keep going because they did not place their faith in the one that delivered them who was more than able to keep them going.

There’s the fundamental issue – it’s all about faith.

Expressing, experiencing and extending trust in God to do what He said He will do. That faith is necessarily tested by challenging circumstances. That faith is necessarily stretched and strengthened by the emotional exhaustion, the misunderstandings, the arguments and the strains. It necessarily goes through that to be refined to help you realise whether your faith is in God or is in something of lesser value. If it is in God, then there’s part of that deal that sees you complain and cry and wonder how and yet find the strength that He gives you to endure.

There’s something in that which can help a great deal and offer something supernatural to help you to persevere. That’s if the faith is firmly rooted in God. If that is the case, there is something there to keep going in the marriage. There’s something there to keep going in patiently supporting your friend through the recovery process. There’s something there to keep going in what others tell you is a dead end job. There’s something there to keep going – there is someone there that keeps you going because God reminds you that He is of much greater worth than whatever you’re suffering in the moment.

It does not remove the pain and the burden at that time, but it gives consolation, strength and vitally hope.

(Photo by Thomas Schweighofer on Unsplash)

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

C. L. J. Dryden