Daily
Devotional

Have you ever tried something you thought would be a solution to your troubles, but it did not solve the problem? Then you tried something else that was supposedly sure to work, but it also failed. Perhaps you feel you have exhausted all of your resources, yet the situation seems to remain bleak and hopeless. Whatever you do, don’t give up! Giving up never solves anything.  

Where would we be today if everyone gave up when life became difficult with no end in sight? Consider, for example, the pilgrims crossing the Atlantic. What if they had said, “This trip is too hard, there are too many rats, and there is not enough food. It is crowded and filthy, the storms are horrendous, and our ship is seriously damaged. We’re going back home”? Or consider the famous inventor Thomas Edison, who made over 10,000 attempts before designing a feasible electric light bulb. What would have happened if, after his twenty-fifth attempt, Edison had said, “I’ve had enough. This will never work”? These people kept pushing on, pressing forward, and trying different approaches, and eventually they found success—and how glad we are that they did!

God has a plan and a purpose for everyone, and we can all accomplish the tasks He has set before us. There are sure to be challenges along the way, but He does not want us to give up when the going gets rough; He wants us to look to Him to find the strength to overcome. In the Bible we read of Christians who “press toward the mark,” “contend for the faith,” and “strive to preach the Gospel.” These passages describe people who were determined to triumph, and that is the attitude we need to achieve victory!

If we give up today, will our situations improve? Certainly not. Look to Jesus; He has an answer to every possible question and every troublesome situation. He even knows what to do about the circumstances you are in right now. He has promised in His Word that there is no reason to fear, for it is His “good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”