“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9
I was at a job a few years ago that I strongly disliked. As someone who struggles with contamination OCD, it was an anxiety and fear-provoking job. I was an assistant housekeeper. "Housekeeper" is just a fancy word for a maid or a cleaner. I had to clean all of the bedrooms, bathrooms, and stairwells each day. As one could imagine, it was the most difficult thing for me to do.
I get stressed out in my own house about germs, much less other people’s germs. It was a hard job to have, but I held out for the entire summer. While this job was far from anything I hoped I would get after college, I was thankful for it at the time. Through this position, I learned a lot about not giving up.
There is something inspiring about having to do something hard. For example, my OCD tells me to touch nothing that is contaminated, such as dirty bed sheets, bathrooms, door knobs, etc. However, at this job, I had no choice but to do these very things. In a way, it was kind of like exposure therapy in real life.
While the job was difficult to do for someone who struggles with OCD, I am proud that I didn’t give up. Maybe I didn’t stick it out for years, but I am proud of what I did for the summer. We should consistently challenge ourselves because it doesn’t benefit us in the slightest if we put ourselves down and refuse to grow.
As my mom used to say, “If you tried your best, you did enough.”
This is the mentality we need to hold on to throughout our lives. Of course, we don’t need to let shame weigh us down for ending something that was bad for our mental, physical, or spiritual health, yet we can recognize our efforts and honor the healthy choices we had to make. Simply trying something challenging helps us to know that we are capable of great things through the Lord. To be completely honest, I wanted to quit after my first ten minutes at this job, but I didn’t give up.
Recognize your little wins rather than tearing yourself down. Even though your mind, body, or heart might have you eventually walk away from something, it is still important to look at all the times you held out. This can help inspire and encourage you for the future. We can do hard things because of the Lord’s work in our lives. Some things might be harder than others, but we can do all things through Christ (Philippians 4:13).
The idea of not giving up is taught to us in Scripture, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). As Paul says in this passage, we don’t need to grow weary in doing good—even if they good is hard or uncomfortable. In God's timing, we will see our reward so long as we are faithful, and while we aren't perfect and won't always finish what we start, there's something to say for gleaning lessons of resilience, courage, and a willingness to try again.
We are called to do hard things in this life, and one of these things is to stick it out when times are hard. Whatever you are facing today, know that you can overcome any obstacle with the help of God.
We must remember that we are never alone in our struggles or problems. God is always walking beside us and giving us strength. We might be weak, but God is strong (2 Corinthians 12:9-11). This knowledge can inspire us to remain resilient. Since God will never give up on us, we don’t need to give up on ourselves. God can work through us and help us accomplish wonderful things.
Dear God, I’m choosing to not give up because of You. Even though I have given up many times before, I’m choosing to stay strong because of Your love. Please help me to not grow weary or lose heart. Amen.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/NiseriN
Vivian Bricker loves Jesus, studying the Word of God, and helping others in their walk with Christ. She has earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master's degree in Christian Ministry with a deep academic emphasis in theology. Her favorite things to do are spending time with her family and friends, reading, and spending time outside. When she is not writing, she is embarking on other adventures.
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
Kerry Washington, Andrea Bocelli, Reba McEntire, Mark Wahlberg, Tony Dungy, and Matthew McConaughey—what do all of these people have in common? They are all people of faith who have leaned on God in both the good and challenging times—and they’ve shown up to tell their stories of faith on The Jesus Calling Podcast. The Jesus Calling Podcast provides a place for people from all walks of life to share the heartaches, joys, and divine moments that keep them going.
Inspired by Sarah Young's classic devotional book, the Jesus Calling podcast has brought encouragement and peace to millions. New episodes drop every Thursday! Listen today on LifeAudio.com or wherever you find your podcasts.
