Never Giving Up

"Never say Never" is an adage that intimates that there will be a time when we can't stick to a goal or a plan because some unexpected turn of events causes us to deviate from them. How often have we made an "I will never...." satement and somewhere down the line, find ourselves doing just what we said we wouldn't. Heroes like the martyrs. however, kept their never: "I will never worship false idols," or "I will never deny Jesus." and gave up their lives remaining true to their pledges. We learn as we go through life, that we don't have that strong conviction in our "nevers." We hope and pray that if it is a matter of faith we'll hold true, but in the lesser things we discover that we are not so steadfast, and sometimes grow discouraged by our lack of fortitude.
We may be weak, we may fail, we may start again over and over, to no lasting avail. In this process we might become aware that God never gives up on us. For God "never" means never, it means always and without fail. God keeps and IS the ideal we seek. God is the epitome of EVER. What a comfort this is, what a source of hope and strength. It is God's fidelity to his ever-lasting commitment to us that spurs us on in our weakness and tempers our efforts to remain as faithful as we can. Lord, let me find the comfort and strength in your fidelity when I feel like giving up. Send this reminder to me when I'm down and ready to quit: "Don't quit on me; I'm not quitting on you!"
Bro. Rene