My friend had finally bought his car. He was driving the car back to his place, first ride on his first car, and there was this bump on the road and the car just came stopped there. No matter what my friend did, the car wouldn’t move beyond the bump. The vehicles which were stuck behind the car had begun honking and getting impatient. Fortunately he had another friend with him who took over the car and drove the car safely back to his place.
But as soon as they got home, my friend again took the car and went out. This time for a long drive. Yes, he did get stuck on the road a few minutes back but no, that didn’t stop him from taking the car out again. There were so many times that the car would stop at a busy signal, and there would be people honking and my friend would be sitting and sweating inside in spite of the ac J. But this has never stopped him from going out again. He just keeps practicing. He takes the car almost for an hour everyday. And in spite of the bad experiences, his driving is actually getting better and smoother. He learns something new everyday as he perseveres in what he wants to learn.
Sometime back as I was thinking about this I realized isn’t this what God wants in my walk with Him. To persevere forward in spite of all the odds. I may get stuck in a bump and annoy a lot of people around but that wouldn’t mean that I should just give up. I need to get up and start again. There may be several mistakes but when I keep at it, I would learn new things and my walk with God would better and better and better. I would learn new things as I persevere in walking with him.
I remember sitting in the church last Sunday and telling God – ‘God, I can never do this’. There is something God has been trying to teach me for the past few weeks and I have been letting him down again and again. As I sat there telling God that I would never be able to do this, God said something that really inspired and motivated and strengthened and empowered me to get up and get going. He said, ‘I am patient with you. Learn to be patient with yourself’.
That was amazing. God is patient with us. He is patient to teach us his way. Now its up to ourselves to be patient with ourselves and never give up. Be patient and keep persevering. When I keep persevering the start is bumpy but yeah, as if I kept at it, the way gets smoother.
Probably it’s a decision that we have taken, or a sin that we are trying to avoid, or a ministry that we are trying to do, or a problem that we are going through.…… No matter what, just persevere. The best thing about persevering and pushing forward is that – it only gets better. Even if the problem grows worse, our faith grows stronger. Problems are temporary. Our faith is permanent.
Last night I was reading a book by Joyce Meyer and found something really interesting there. She has written that when we go against our wish and our desire and do something that God wants us to do, we begin building a stronghold. Every time I do something that God wants me to, I put a brick in place and keep adding bricks onto it with every act that I do for God. I found this so encouraging. So every attempt I make to walk with God is like a brick wall I’m building. Even if I fall, I could rise again and continue building the stronghold. Its when I give up that the stronghold would remain unbuilt.
So, to those who find the ride bumpy - keep at it. The road eventually gets smooth.
To those who are persevering - your stronghold is getting stronger.
To those who are on the verge of giving up - Don’t. God is patient with you, learn to be patient with yourself.
To those who have given up…….. Get Up, Get Going………..
2 John 1:8 Look to yourselves (take care) that you may not lose (throw away or destroy) all that we and you have labored for, but that you may [persevere until you] win and receive back a perfect reward [in full].
Psalm 37:7 Be still and rest in the Lord; wait for Him and patiently lean yourself upon Him.
Ecclesiastes 7:8 (Whole Chapter) Better is the end of a thing than the beginning of it, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
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