Devotional - Never Give Up

 

 

I press on toward the goal…..Philippians 3:14

 

One evening on my way from work to church I decided to try a new route. The traffic was unusually heavy and I did not want to be late. With that in mind, I made my way hesitantly to this route on which I had never driven before. In fact, I had passed that way only once before and at that time I was a passenger, not the driver. In addition, I had come from the opposite direction, and even though I am not directionally challenged, I was not sure of the exact turns which I needed to make. I decided to feel my way along, hoping and praying that things would work out somehow and I would arrive at my destination – church.

As I drove along I looked for landmarks that I could remember from my first trip through the area. Night had started to fall and I started to get that feeling that somehow the place looked a little different from what I remembered. Had I missed a turn? Now I wasn’t sure if I was on the right track. The road ahead certainly did not ring a bell. Maybe I should turn back. It never crossed my mind that I could have stopped and asked for directions.

I felt a little angry with myself but decided that under the circumstances, it was best to stick with the familiar, the tried and true. So I turned back, made my way slowly in traffic, and headed to church.

A few weeks after, having consulted Google maps, and armed with the knowledge of the layout of the area, I again ventured on the route. This time it was broad daylight and I made my way with ease. I knew exactly where to turn. As I passed a particular open lot, I recognized it as the point at which, on my previous journey, I had decided to turn back. I drove along and suddenly realized that the next turn was the turn to take me to church. Then it hit me, had I persevered a little longer on my initial journey, I would have saved myself a lot of time and energy. I should have pressed on a little longer, overlooking the obstacles that I had encountered.

Now that route has become a regular part of my commute. Each time I pass the open lot I am reminded of important lessons. I must be tenacious. I must hold on. I must persevere beyond the odds. Keep it moving, even when you get weary. Pause to rest, if you must, but then keep going in order to achieve the goal.

Sometimes we give up when we are just within reach of what we are striving for, when success is just within striking distance. Let us endeavour to do what it takes to avoid falling into such a trap.

 

Prayer

Father, help us to persevere despite the odds. Help us to look beyond the obstacles to see the goal ahead and help us to be willing and committed to taking the necessary steps to get there. In Jesus; name. Amen.