Wait, Don't Give Up

“Therefore, since we have this ministry because we were shown mercy, we do not give up.” (2 Corinthians 4:1, CSB)

Tempted to Give Up

Repeatedly, moments arise when we want to quit—to give up. We get frustrated over what is happening and want to throw in the towel. The future looks so hopeless that we can’t imagine being successful so we stop pursuing. Things are so confusing and convoluted that we have no idea which way to go, so we decide to stay where we are. 

These moments happen to the best of us. We all face the constant temptation to quit—whether you are a high-level executive or a stay-at-home parent—the temptation to quit is always hanging around. 

By the Mercy of God

In those moments when you want to sit down, throw up your hands, and quit, take a moment to remember why you are in this position. Why are you a leader in your company? Why are you a leader in your home? Why do you have the responsibility of raising these children? 

For the apostle Paul, he had to remember why he was an apostle. He says, that he brought into this ministry because he was “shown mercy.” God appointed him as an apostle out of mercy—which is undeserved. He didn’t deserve to be an apostle, but God placed him in that position anyway. That was his Why. 

The same is true for you. You are not a parent because you deserve to be a parent. You are a parent because of God’s mercy. God has placed you in that position to carry out a task. You may think you are a leader in your company because you deserve it, but think again. That promotion was an undeserved gift of God. He placed you in that position. You are a leader because of the mercy of God. You are in your current position—whatever it is—because of God’s mercy.

Don’t Give Up

For Paul, this was enough for him to keep going when tempted to quit. He says, “Since we have this ministry because we were shown mercy, we do not give up.” Paul will not give up because he realizes God has placed him in this position for a reason. He is an apostle because God placed him there. So, he will not give up.

Take some time to shove this deep into your own heart. You are in your current position by the mercy of God. God has placed you there. So, don’t give up. 

We do not deserve our calling. We are not good enough for our calling. If we had this calling because of our own personality and gifting, we wouldn’t have it by mercy. Yet, God has given us this calling and has given it to us by his mercy. 

That means it’s not about us. It’s not about our own abilities. It’s not about our personality. It’s about God’s mercy and God’s purposes. 

So, how could we quit? How can we give up on something that God has called us to? How can we say we cannot finish something that God has given us to finish? How can we say we are not the right person for the job when God has called us to this job? How can we say we don’t have the right gifts for the job when God has chosen us to serve here? 

Advent Waiting

Advent is a season of waiting. In these moments of waiting we are most tempted to give up because we are impatient. In our impatience we forget God's mercy and are tempted to give up.

God has placed you here by his mercy. So, be patient, wait, and don’t give up.