If life is getting tough, this is for you.

If you are facing a struggle that seems too big, this is for you.

If you are in a situation that you see no way out of, this is for you.

If trouble just keeps hounding you, this is for you.

If your faith is weak and it seems the enemy has the upper hand, this is for you.

If you are facing any sort of crisis and you’re just downright tired or confused or depressed… this is for you.

Are you ready?  At face value, this may not sound very inspirational or helpful, but read on.

OK?  Here goes…

Give up.  Just give up.

Give up the pain.  Give up the sorrow.  Give up the striving and trying to make sense of it all.

Give up on just wishing it would all go away.

Give up on trying to control every facet of your existence.

Give up being angry – at God, at your circumstances, at your spouse or your parent or your kid or your boss or the co-worker who gives you fits, or your third-cousin on your mother’s side, or the guy who just cut you off as you hurry to work, or the individual at church who made the snide remark or the butcher or the baker or the candlestick maker…

Give up all the junk that makes you miserable.  Just give it all up.

Now… here is what you do NOT give up on.

Do not give up on Jesus.  God loves you.  It doesn’t matter whether or not you feel loved.  If faith were emotion-based, it would be easy.  Sometimes, in the face of circumstances we can no longer bear, faith is an act of will.  You just do it.  You don’t allow “logic” to overshadow faith.  You don’t spend your time staring at your situation.  All that leads to is inward navel gazing. 

Remember what Jesus said to the apostle Paul when he was struggling with the thorn in his flesh: “But (Jesus) said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV).  God’s unmerited favor over our lives is all we need to see us through.  Instead of staring at the problem, keep your gaze on the solution: Jesus Christ and His immense grace, love, forgiveness, mercy, joy, peace… 

When we are struggling, tempted to walk away from God or give in to sorrow or pain and succumb to our circumstances, we need to give up on the misery.  But never – never ever – give up on the LORD. 

(Today, if you know someone who is hurting or struggling or facing some tough dilemma, please feel free to share this message with them.  And, if I can pray for you today, please drop me a line at christophercourtney@comcast.net.  God bless!)

© 2003 by Chris Courtney.  All rights reserved.