Keep On Keeping On
We live in face paced modern times. Everybody is in such a big hurry. It seems there is pressure on everybody to keeps up with the times by producing faster. Everything from fast foods to microwave ovens are designed to make things quick and easy. From the moment we wake up, our day must be engineered to stretch our time beyond the maximum.
But when it comes to the worthwhile goal of spiritual
maturity, or anything else that is really meaningful, it just doesn’t come
quickly. Building solid relationships with God, our family or our fellow man is
not an instant ordeal. We have to keep on keeping on. We can never
give up on our pursuit to reach our ultimate goal.
When people today can’t get a quick fix, they adopt a "give up" attitude. They would rather quit than persevere and obtain something worthwhile. Studying and finishing school is a hassle, so we drop out because that’s quick and easy. Sticking with a diet takes discipline and self-sacrifice. It’s hard to give up sweets and junk food, so we stay fat because that’s easy. Working through marital conflict and dealing with our selfishness is hard, so we take the easy road and divorce. We want things easy, but if it’s easy, it is worthless.
Even when it comes to spiritual things, we want a quick fix. We desire wisdom, but we don’t want to dig for it like silver, or search for it like hidden treasure (see Proverbs 2:4). We prefer to run up and get it in the prayer line.
When it comes to producing spiritual fruit in our lives, we would rather relate to excitement instead of dealing with our prejudices and ungodly attitudes toward the differences of others.
Sticking with the Word when excitement is gone requires discipline and faith. Let’s face the facts my friends, it’s harder to hold on to your faith when you’re hurting, when life is unfair, when your prayers are on an indefinite hold, when you don’t understand what God is waiting on and He doesn’t bother to tell you.
That’s why it’s so important to understand that confidence in the Word of God is the only thing that will give us the endurance we need to "keep on keeping on". I would like to give you spirituality in a small-abridged package, but it doesn’t come that way. God has chosen to not accommodate that fast shallow times we live in. But if we slow down to His speed and play by His rules, we will find more than enough in Him to keep us in tune.
Right now, it may seem that you are at a standstill, and what you are doing is so insignificant. That’s the time when the Father whispers, "Don’t quit, keep on keeping on. I am with you even unto the end of the world." At those insignificant moments, our gracious heavenly Father is ready to shower you with His grace, love and peace.
Parenting got you frustrated? Marriage on a downward spiral? The door to your hopes and dreams has been shut up in your face? Don’t give up. Remember Philippians 1:6, "He which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."
By: Edmund Brown