By Shanny Davis // Encouragement // EEW Magazine Online

It would be ideal if we were clicking our heels together in excitement when fulfilling God’s commands. Even when we begin enthusiastically, somewhere along the way, discouragement and frustration join the party and make quitting seem like the best, most logical thing to do.

Whatever you go through that makes you want to quit on what God commanded is not worth it. Instead of throwing in the towel, EEW Magazine Online is giving you 7 helpful things to remember to keep you going.

#1 God called you. Obedience to the call of God is your number one priority. If you know that your mission has a divine origin, and your Heavenly Father selected you to fulfill an assignment, you must submit to that calling. Quitting when God has commissioned you to keep going amounts to the sin of disobedience. Disobeying guarantees that you will not become what God destined for you or reap the rewards that would otherwise be granted to you.

#2 Delay is a teacher. Your dream of succeeding and impacting others won’t happen immediately. In fact, most often, realizing a dream takes way longer than you expect. While you’re waiting, fill your heart and mind with encouragement from Scripture. Remember that just because something is delayed doesn’t mean it is denied. Furthermore, delay is a teacher. Consider Sarah in the Bible who gave birth to her promised child when it was technically too late (Gen 21). As in her case, sometimes, God lets the time pass to teach you that it is never too late for Him.

#3 Don’t compare. You can always find someone who appears to be doing better than you. From the outside, they have all the advantages, and things come to them at warp speed. Discouragement asks, what’s so special about them? Why not you? When you compare your life to others lives and surmise that theirs is superior, comparison tells you that you are unworthy and lacking something. That is false. Your journey and assignment are unique. Your life is in God’s hands. Trust the God of the process who always remains firmly in control.

#4 Somebody needs you. When you are discouraged, it feels like no one sees you, needs you, appreciates you, or is impacted by you. These are all lies disillusionment tells. Stop and reassess. Be intentional about seeing those who support you instead of those who don’t. Then invest in the ones God has assigned you to reach at the present time – however few or many. If you are faithful over the few, God will increase you. If you walk away, those that desperately need what you provide will be hurt by your decision to quit.

#5 Numbers don’t matter. A lot of people say, “If I can reach just one person, then that’s enough.” But few mean it. In our superficial culture where your number of followers supposedly determines clout, it can be deflating when only a handful seem to notice your efforts. But Christians don’t do what we do for vainglory and the praise of men. Try not to focus so much on that. Make pleasing God your chief goal, and He will bless you according to His will.

#6 Waiting gives priceless gifts. Waiting is part of God’s plan. In the wait, He builds your faith, develops your character, and releases invaluable wisdom that can only be gained through experience. Overnight success – which rarely happens anyway – can never give you the priceless gifts that gradual, incremental, long-time-coming fruitfulness will. God is not only concerned with external results but internal development. No monetary value can be placed on the spiritual rewards earned by waiting on God. Two of those priceless gifts are renewal of spiritual strength and power to soar like an eagle (Isaiah 40:31).

#7 Remember why you started. If you ever disconnect your work from your why, it ceases to have purpose. In moments when you feel like you’re at the end of the rope, go back to the beginning. What lit that fire in your soul to launch? What was the impetus behind your yes? What got you out of the bed in the morning and convinced you that this was worth the hard work, blood, sweat, and tears? Reconnect with that reason, and you will find immeasurable strength to fight discouragement and continue pushing forward.

Everyone gets to a point where they feel like walking away from their calling. But as a believer, since your life has been purchased with the blood of Jesus, you are not your own.

Submission and obedience to the will of Father is your only option. When you make that your focus, you will have power to endure and will surely receive a harvest.

Be strong. Be focused. Be diligent. Your time is coming.