Do you ever feel like giving up?

Insights:

Do you ever feel like God isn’t hearing your prayers? What if you are praying for something that you think that God can not only do but also it’s something that God would want to do and still - nothing? Maybe it is for your marriage, for healing, for your finances, or your kids. Do you ever feel like just giving up because God does not seem to be listening? If we are honest, most of us have felt that way at some time in our lives. 

In the Old Testament, we learn about Moses, who was used by God to lead God’s people out of Egypt and into a land that would be their own. The journey took 40 years and Moses died before entering this “Promised Land.” God put Joshua in charge of the Israelites as they finally entered the land they were to take and claim as their own, according to God’s promise.

In the book of Joshua, God brought the Israelites to Jericho, a city fortified with a strong wall and gates that were tightly shut. It was then that God said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king and all its strong warriors.” 

What happened next is something we can all relate to. God told Joshua to have the people march around the city of Jericho. They followed His instructions, but nothing happened. The next day, the same thing. In fact, they did it for six days in a row. Six days walking around Jericho and nothing. What was God doing? Was He going to do anything? 

Then came day seven. On the seventh day, they were to march around the city wall not once, but seven times. Then the priests were to blow on their horns and the people were to shout. The city walls of Jericho collapsed and the Israelites walked in and seized the town.

This is what I have learned about prayers that seem to be going nowhere: My timing and God’s timing may be different. I may pray over and over for something and see no results but that does not mean that God isn’t listening. Sometimes, God teaches me in the waiting. Maybe what I am praying for is not really as good for me as I think it is and God gives me something better. It comes down to trusting God to be who He says He is.

I think about the Israelites marching around that city for six days. They had to be frustrated, wondering why they were doing this. They could not see from day three what God would do on day seven. What if they stopped on day six and walked away because they felt God was not giving them Jericho? They would have missed the fulfillment of God’s promise to them. 

Bottom line: God is always faithful and always good. Don’t ever stop on six because seven is close at hand.

Next Steps:

  • When do you feel your prayers are not heard?

  • Have you ever given up on God?

  • Spend time writing down the things God has done for you and keep it close for those times you feel He is not listening because He is.

Nancy and I talked about finding purpose in marriage for our Marriage Changers this month.

Quick Hits

This Week’s Quote:  

 Fred Rogers

Fred McFeely Rogers was born on March 1, 1928 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. He was better known as Mister Rogers; an American television host, author, producer, and Presbyterian minister.  He was the creator, showrunner, and host of the preschool television series Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, which ran from 1968 to 2001. He received more than 40 honorary degrees and several awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Emmy in 1997 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002. He was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1999. 

  • Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.

  • To love someone is to strive to accept that person exactly the way he or she is, right here and now.

  • When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'

This Week’s Trivia Question: 

What was the last letter to be added to the English language?

Did You Know:

There's a world record for the most world record titles.  It belongs to Brooklyn, New York resident Ashrita Furman, who's held more than 700 Guinness World Records in his lifetime, ranging from heaviest shoes walked in (323 pounds) to most baseballs held in a baseball glove (26)

Something to Talk About:

What is the single most important goal you want to achieve in the next ten years?

This Week’s Trivia Answer:

  • The letter “J”. It dates back to 1524. Before “j” became a letter, the letter “i” was used for both “i” and “j” sounds!

Kim KimberlingComment