This is not the time for giving up; it's time for holding on!
Those were the words I woke up with this morning. They come from a song sung by the South African gospel group, 'RUFARO', some many years ago.
Fighting against all the odds, standing firm in front of all the negative messages and situations, is not an easy thing to do. At the beginning of a new week there are many conflicting messages about so many different matters swarming like bees ready to sting, but you have to look beyond the mad dancing of the creatures and see what is ahead of them, and why they are even there in the first place.
Disappointments and people's changing attitudes can really knock you down to the ground and leave you wondering if there are any good people left out there. We measure silence and lack of communication from those we expected to hear from on a personal scale of real or false friendship and reliability. People change, and for no given or understandable reason, they disappear from our lives as though we had not existed from the beginning. The feelings and mindset that this leads to is really damaging and can lead to a complete refusal to trust any living soul.
Yes, people do change. It is a fact of life, and as Malachi says, 'Put no trust in a friend, put no confidence in a guide (a leader or business person), keep your words to your self from her that is closest to you.' He says that the good man has perished from the earth; and there is none upright among the people. They all wait for what they can get, and they hunt with a net to catch each other for whatever selfish purpose that entices them. (Malachi 7)
What a world it has become, and I am sure that Malachi spoke prophetically about the age we live in right now. Whilst you are worth something to someone and they can benefit from associating with you, they will feign to love you and flatter you, until they have exhausted your usefulness. Then they will dump you for whatever reason they find convenient. You end up disillusioned and feeling worthless, and promise yourself never to allow that to happen again.
So what do you then do?
The words of the song I mentioned are so appropriate. This is not a time for giving up, but for holding on. God sees everything and knows where you are right now. He calls us to never give up, but to hold onto all of his promises. His promises are always real and true. He is the Faithful One who cannot, but cannot break his own word. If he has promised you something, whether it was 50 years ago or just a few hours back, then he will bring it to pass.
My baptism promise that was read to me before being 'dunked', was, 'Delight yourself also in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.' Psalm 37:4-5
So, when all around our soul gives way, then it is the time to commit our way to God. He knows the road we must travel, and he knows the path we have already trod. Then we must trust also in him. I really like the 'also' that is put in there! Commit everything to him, but trust also, also, also in him that he is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we may dare to ask or even think!
And he shall bring it to pass! He shall do it with or without any assistance from anyone else. The silver is his and the gold is his. The cattle on a thousand hills are his. In fact, the whole world is his, both everything in it, and all of the people belong to him, whether they like it or not. All is under his control, no matter what storm may rage, or how many evil-doers seek to enforce their dictates on the human race, he is in perfect control.
So, this is not the time for giving up. This is the time for holding on, until God answers your prayer and gives to you the desires of your heart. And the surest way to holding on and seeing the answer to your prayers of many years is to 'delight yourself in the LORD'. Just think long about that. When did you last delight yourself in the LORD? When did it become a daily habit and character-forming practise?
Then he shall give you what he himself already birthed in your heart. 'Let all the people praise thee O God; let all the people praise thee: then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our God shall bless us. God shall bless us: and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.' (Psalm 67)
