Don't Give Up!

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Galatians 6:9

Various thoughts run through our minds every day—some good, some bad. Our natural temptation is to focus on the bad, so accepting them doesn’t take any effort. The effort comes in being determined to take a firm hold of the positive ones, while letting go of the negative.

Positive minds are full of faith and hope, and they produce positive lives. The opposite is also true—negative minds full of fear and doubt produce negative lives, which can ultimately destroy your life. Some people have been hurt so many times that they don’t think they can face the pain of another letdown. Therefore, they refuse to hope to avoid disappointment.

Battles are fought in our minds every day. When we begin to feel the battle is just too difficult for us, we must choose to resist negative thoughts and be determined to rise above our problems. We must decide that we’re not going to quit. When we’re bombarded with doubts and fears, we must take a stand and say: "I’ll never give up! With God on my side, all things are possible!"

No matter how bad the battle rages in your mind, don't give up! Step up and claim the territory that’s been stolen from you. One step at a time; just make sure you’re leaning on God's grace and not on your own ability. In Galatians 6:9 the apostle Paul simply encourages us to keep on moving forward! Do not quit! God’s looking for people who will find the courage to pursue the positive, leaving the negative behind.

Whatever you may be facing or experiencing in your life right now, stay positive and refuse to give up! God is with you, and He’ll help you make spiritual progress—strengthening and encouraging you to keep moving forward when times get rough. Quitting is easy - what is tough is moving forward when the battle is raging!

When the battle seems endless and you think you'll never make it, remember that you have a worldly mind that must be trained to think like God thinks. In the same way that computers are programmed, our minds are programmed. From the time we’re born, our minds are like computers that have had a lifetime of garbage programmed into them. But God, the best "Programmer" around, is working on us every day to change us as we cooperate with Him.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2

This process of renewing our minds will take place one step at a time, so don't be discouraged if progress seems slow. Don't let setbacks or bad days get you down. Just get back up, dust yourself off and start all over again. When a baby is learning to walk, he falls down over and over again before he develops the ability to walk without falling; however, the baby is persistent. He may cry for a while after he falls down, but he always gets right back up and tries again.

Learning to change our thinking works the same way. There will be days when it seems that we don't do anything right—days that seem almost useless. But never stop trying. God is gradually bringing us around to His way of thinking. Just don't give up!

Father, Thank You for pushing me forward when I want to give up! Teach me to be persistent in my walk with You, learning more and more about you each and every day. Reprogram my thinking to be more like You! Thank You for the gift of salvation through Your Son, my Savior, Jesus Christ. It is in His name I pray~Amen