You decided to follow Jesus because you thought that it would open the heavens and you will be swimming in the oceans of excellent opportunities.
However, a few years in your Christian journey, things do not seem to be working out for you, and it appears that keeping God's instruction is harder than you thought.
I hate to break it to you, but Christian life is hard.
However, do not give up just yet. There are a lot of good things in store for you if you do not quit.
Romans 2:7-8
7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, he will give eternal life.
8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.
Here is my key takeaway from the verses above:
Show Persistence in Doing Good
Oxford defines persistent as:
continuing firmly or obstinately in an opinion or course of action despite difficulty or opposition.
continuing to exist or occur over a prolonged period.
The verses above remind us that we must be persistent because following Jesus will be hard. Here are some of the things that could happen when you follow Jesus:
You will work harder than anyone and see others live better than you.
You will work hard, and you will see no fruit.
You will question your purpose and ministry.
When these things mentioned above happen, you must continue. You must go on despite the difficulties.
What Can You Do to Stay Persistent?
Here are the things that you can do to remain determined:
Remember that there are rewards for doing good.
Remember that there are consequences to selfishness
Think about your blessings
Focus on your goal
Do something that you are passionate about.
Let us talk about them in detail.
Remember That There Are Rewards for Doing Good.
Colossians 3:23-24 ESV
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
Serving God will have its reward, and oftentimes you get to enjoy your reward here on earth. People will celebrate with you, and you will feel that sense of achievement within you.
However, you may not receive your breakthrough here on earth. It does not mean that you will not receive it; it only means that you get it in heaven.
Remember That There Are Consequences to Selfishness
James 3:16 ESV
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.
God sees everything and nothing gets by Him. There will be consequences to selfish deeds, and it is better to seek Jesus instead.
Think About Your Blessings
Psalm 103:2 ESV
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
Think about what God has already done for you. Psychology experts say that being grateful is an excellent way to fight depression.
Good thing for us believers of Jesus, we can think about many things to thank God for. First things that came to my mind would be salvation and His unconditional love for us.
You can also think about the things that you are enjoying right now that seemed impossible in the past. The fact that we are alive in these difficult times is already worth thanking God for, so let us be appreciative of what God has done for us.
Focus on Your Goal
Proverbs 4:25 ESV
Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.
We need to work hard to stay focused nowadays. There are many distractions for everyone right now, and they are just a click away.
The internet has made everything available to us. If we do not have the discipline to stick to our purpose, we will find ourselves doing and consuming counterproductive things.
For example, if you get frustrated because you see other people becoming more successful than you, then perhaps you should decrease the time you spend on social media and focus on developing your skills.
Do Something That You Are Passionate About.
Colossians 3:23 ESV
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
It is good to work on your passion. Think about something you will do to de-stress. Think about activities that you would still do it even if you do not get paid for it—for example, dancing singing or cooking.
Those activities can be something that you can offer to God. You have the desire to do those things because God placed them in your heart. Develop your craft and offer it to God.
Let Us Sum It Up
Living a Christian life will be challenging, and you will need all the help that you can get if you want to thrive as a follower of Jesus.
Ensuring that you are busy with the things of God will help you stay connected to Jesus and remain in the path that God has assigned to you.
Prayer of Salvation
Friend, if you want to know Jesus, but you are unsure of your standing in faith, say this prayer. God sees your heart, so say the words with conviction and faith.
"Father, I am a sinner. Forgive my sins. I believe that Jesus died on the cross so I could live fully on earth and in heaven. Change my heart and mind according to your will. This I pray, in the mighty Name of Jesus, amen."
Friend, if you prayed this prayer in faith, I believe you have set things right with God.
If you want to grow in faith, find a Bible-based church. You can also reach out to me through my social media platforms and this website, www.high3r.com. I would love to hear from you.
Thank you for reading this devotional story, and I pray that it encouraged and empowered you in your walk with Christ. Please read other devotional stories on the website.
If you are interested in supporting this ministry of sharing the Gospel online, please subscribe, like and share this devotional story so we can spread God's goodness, empowerment, and love.