June 28, 2012
Don’t Quit!
Mary Southerland
Today’s Truth
Galatians 6:9 “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.”
Friend to Friend
A great pianist was scheduled to perform for a small country town. Everyone in the town was excited since they rarely had the opportunity to hear a famous musician. A young mother was especially excited. Her son had been taking piano lessons and showed great promise. However, he hated to practice. His mother was hoping that if her son saw the great pianist perform, he would be motivated to take his music more seriously.
The night of the concert finally arrived, and it seemed as if everyone in town had come. As the young mother settled her son in his seat, her attention turned to the crowd pouring in. Everyone was dressed in their finest, and a buzz of excitement filled the concert hall. No one noticed the little boy as he slipped out of his seat and made his way down the aisle toward the stage. No one noticed the little boy as he walked onto the stage, climbed up on the piano stool and began to play “Chopsticks.”
The concert hall fell silent as every eye turned toward the stage. People began to yell, “Where is that child’s mother? How did he get on stage? Somebody get him down immediately! This is so embarrassing for our town!” The guest artist was standing in the wings, getting ready to make his entrance when he heard the shouts and saw and heard the little boy. Grabbing his jacket, the great pianist ran onto the stage, came up behind the little boy and placed his masterful hands on the keyboard beside the hands of the small child. The little boy was startled but did not move as the man whispered in the boy’s ear, “Don’t stop. Don’t quit. Keep going.” As the little boy began to play again, the great pianist began to play as well, composing a beautiful counter melody to “Chopsticks.”
I know some of you are ready to give up and quit. Some mountain is standing between you and the dream you thought was sure to become a reality. You think God has lost track of where you are and what you are going through. He hasn’t, girlfriend.
I know you don’t understand why a loving God would allow so much pain to saturate this broken world and perpetuate such loss and hurt. I don’t either. But God’s ways are so much higher than my ways, and His thoughts are for my eternal good – not my temporary comfort. I am banking on eternity. I am counting on the character of God and His heart of unconditional, unmerited and undeserved love. God’s forgiveness gives me the strength to get out of bed each morning, and His peace is my comfort in the dark, lonely night. Like you, I sometimes ask God why He has allowed a circumstance to exist. I have questioned His favor and allowed fear and worry to make me doubt His plan. And I have to tell you that I can now look back and see so many of the question marks yanked into exclamation points in my life. I am so thankful that He said “no” to so many of the prayers I desperately wanted Him to answer with “yes.” He is God. He is able and He is more than enough.
No matter where you are today, know He is with you and that His heart is for you. Don’t quit. He is not angry with you. You are His daughter, the apple of His eye and His cherished child. Don’t give up. Right now, surrender all of your pain to Him. Shed your tears, knowing He will collect them all and one day pour them back into your life as a refreshing rain of restoration and healing. Keep going. Ask your questions, knowing Heaven is not in a panic and that your God really is who He says He is and will do what He has promised to do. He simply waits for you to trust Him.
Let’s Pray
Father, I come to You like a child. My faith is small and my strength almost gone. I am desperate for You. I don’t understand what is happening in my life, and I am ready to give up. I want to quit. Please don’t let me, Lord. Give me Your strength and hope for today. Help me to keep going, trusting You every step of the way.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Read Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lordwith all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take” (NLT).
Record these verses in your journal. Circle each action word and then right out the plan you need to follow to trust God.
What “next step” do you need to take in order to begin again and trust God?
More from the Girlfriends
Check out Mary’s E-Book Bible Study, Strength for the Storm, if you need help navigating the storm in your life. MP3 downloads, CDs and books are also available in Mary’s online store along with FREE resourceson her site.
Looking for a Bible Study that is both practical and powerful? Check out Mary’s E-Book Bible Studies. Each one includes a study guide that you can download for your personal use or for a small group study.
Be sure to check out Mary’s weekly Online Bible Study: How to Dress for Success. Enroll now and have access to all 2012 lessons. Connect with Mary on Facebook or through email.
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Originally published Thursday, 28 June 2012.
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