Make the choice to not give up

"For we wanted to come to you-- I, Paul, more than once-- and yet Satan hindered us." 1 Thessalonians 2:18 NASB

After experiencing what he could only describe as an 'action packed day' Friday, my friend, Ken, hurriedly rushed home to cram all the things he would need for the two races he would be participating in over the weekend into a bag and then hit the road. He was 2.5 hours into the trip, he says, when he received a call from his son asking how far he had gotten. "Instantly, I knew why. In the excitement, I’d neglected to put the bag I’d just packed actually IN the car." Thankfully, though, Ken said he found an Academy Sports Store along the way to buy some essentials but added, "It’s a good thing I was wearing running shoes. I’ll have to use my phone as a “watch.” Hope my hotel has toothpaste. This gets the first race travel snafu out of the way. It won’t be the last. And, hey, I needed shorts that weren’t black." 

And you know, I love the way Ken handled this 'snafu’ or chaotic mess. He remained level-headed and hopeful the situation could be remedied--which it was. Sadly though, many Christians will quit at the first sign of any complication or chaos saying, "Well I guess it's just not God's will that I do... you fill in the blank” rather than press on in the face of adversity, opposition or even travel complications. And while God will most certainly use situations like these to redirect us, Satan, as Paul knew, will use them to hinder us from doing God's work. 

So before you give up at the first sign of difficulty in any situation, pray for wisdom and strength my friend. And then keep moving forward, determined, intent and resolute on fulfilling the calling God has placed on your life. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that the enemy is always looking for ways to cause us to give up in our pursuit to accomplish the work You have called us to do. Lord please give us the discernment to recognize these supernatural attacks and the mental fortitude and physical power to fight them. It's in your precious Name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

I’m gonna see a victory