Keep Going

Have you been following Jesus for quite some time now? Keep going. Have you been doing God’s will for a number of years already? Keep going. It can be very tempting at times to ask God for a time out or a break. Sometimes, you just want to do things your way… for a change.

But before you dwell too much on those thoughts, here’s God’s Word for us who sometimes think this way. “Keep going! Keep going until you get your second wind and regain your strength. Be vigilant and keep going lest you get distracted and lose your way.”

Before I could seriously consider those negative thoughts, God nipped them in the bud for me by leading me to a reflection that spoke powerfully into my soul. It’s entitled Get Over Yourself.

The good things you’ve done in the past can keep you from looking and moving forward. So forget who you were. What’s much more important is asking, “What am I doing now?” God wants you to forget your accomplishments so you’ll keep achieving for Him – right now. Present tense. Whether 20 years ago or yesterday, the Bible says the wonderful things you’ve accomplished or experienced are to be forgotten. Philippians 3:13-14 tells you to forget what’s behind and continue on the path of doing what God calls you to do. Your past accomplishments mean nothing next to what you’re doing for God today.

What is God calling me to do today? How can I continue to follow in Jesus’ footsteps in my current circumstances? Deep in my heart I know that God wants me to submit to my husband and love him and our son in the same way that Christ has loved me. It seems very manageable when you state it that way. But translated into the details of married life or family life, these words seem to put a mountain before me.

I had a long discourse with God yesterday. You see, my husband and I have been investigation homeschooling as early as now. It has great benefits and rewards. But a part of me can’t simply say yes to it. Just the thought of being a stay-at-home mom for a few more years makes me sad. How much more if we’re going to homeschool our son during his elementary years? What about the things I love to do? What will happen to my other dreams that I still want to pursue? There’s still a lot on my list that are left undone.

And then God talks to me about surrender through the Purpose Driven Life book. He also led me to read Jeremiah 29:11 again. Today, He reminds me to take up my cross daily and follow Him. He calls me to continuously lose my self and life in Him. It’s not easy to surrender those dreams and ambitions to God knowing that they are my passion. But God tells me that He knows what’s best for me now and in the future. He doesn’t tell me exactly how things will be tomorrow or in the years to come. He simply assures me that He will prosper me and that He has ordained a future full of hope for me. In the meantime, He wants me to keep going.

I feel like I’m the rich young man Jesus spoke with before. My hands are full of many treasures that I find it difficult to follow Him. But unlike the rich young man, I choose to let go of all my treasures so I can follow my Master. I will keep going even if it means being stripped naked of all my possessions. I will keep going because I believe in His Words and trust in His love.


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