Exeter Seventh-day Adventist Church

When you feel like giving up

Be honest with God about your feelings. It’s in the Bible, Psalm 13:1-2, NIV. “How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?”

God has promised strength when we need it. It’s in the Bible, Colossians 1:11-12, NKJV. “Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.”

Giving up often causes us to miss the best God has to offer. It’s in the Bible, 2 Corinthians 4:16-17, NKJV. “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory"

When our hearts condemn us, we should not give up. It’s in the Bible, 1 John 3:19-20, NKJV. “And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.”

God's presence is not always a glorious, fantastic, awesome display—He might be in a still small voice. It's in the Bible, 1 Kings 19:11-12, NKJV. "Then He said, ‘Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.’ And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice."

You are not alone. Deuteronomy 31:6, NKJV. "Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

Though we make mistakes, we are still in God's hands. Psalm 37:23-24, NKJV. "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LORD upholds him with His hand."

Mistakes happen and sometimes we fall—don't give up, get back up. It's in the Bible, Proverbs 24:16, NKJV. "For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again, but the wicked shall fall by calamity."

Nothing can separate us from God's love. It's in the Bible, Romans 8:38-39, NKJV. "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Trust God and wait on Him. It's in the Bible, Isaiah 25:9, NKJV. "And it will be said in that day: 'Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.'"

God will not fail you in your day of adversity. It's in the Bible, Psalm 57:2-3, NKJV. "I will cry out to God Most High, to God who performs all things for me. He shall send from heaven and save me; He reproaches the one who would swallow me up. God shall send forth His mercy and His truth."

Nothing is apparently more helpless, yet really more invincible, than the soul that feels its nothingness and relies wholly on God. It's in the Bible, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NKJV. "And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."