~Never Give Up

Every. Single. Time.

Ever love someone deeply, you know just pour your life into, take really good care of, love unconditionally, turn, stab you several times in the back then come back and act like your the best thing since slice bread?

Ever just wonder why the lies just flow out of people's mouth like there's no consequences for such things?

Ever wonder how you can really just make it through another day. The struggles of life are so real.

Ever wonder how it's possible to truly love people when the betrayal is so deep you want to do nothing but turn and run for dear life.

It's possible... Experiencing God's love. Every. Single. Day. And of course forgiveness. I've been betrayed, lied about, gossiped about, disrespected, become frustrated with my struggles, and I've forgotten too many times to hold every thought captive.

But with every struggle God points me back. Remembering forgiveness is the easiest release. Not just once but... Every. Single. Time.

I always thought if I can get through this betrayal, I will have it down pat. No they keep coming. I thought let me get through this lie, it will be all good. No the lies keep being told. I think if I love them enough, my heart will stop breaking. No my heart breaks often.

Understanding that life struggles continue to come, regardless. But what do you do?

You remember all the times God made a way, that He loved anyway, He forgave anyway. Every. Single. Time.

I think it is like Elisha's untidy ending as described in Crash the Chatterbox. Wars and struggles will always come but how we handle it, defines our victory. Elisha instructed the King to pound the ground with an arrow. He pounded the ground with the arrow 3 times, it guaranteed that the people of God would have 3 decisive military victories over the enemy. Elisha became angry because he saw a king who had faith in the loving God, and even the humility to do what the prophet asks, settle for something less than complete victory. To see the king stand toe to toe with an opportunity to drive out his enemies entirely-but settle for this? Such astonishing potential, such a half hearted application.  Elisha surveys the wreckage of wasted opportunity, and seethes "Is that all you've got? Is that all you want? Just enough victory to back the enemy off, just enough to survive? Why did you stop striking the ground? you would have completely destroyed the enemy! Why would you settle for winning a few battles when you had the opportunity to win the war?

What can we learn from this? It takes tenacity. Every victory you win means another battle you have to fight. So you keep pounding. Every betrayal, keep pounding, every day your heart is broken, keep pounding, every disappointment, keep pounding. Pound the ground until the pounding becomes a rhythm. Pound the ground until the sound turns into cadence. Pound the ground until the ground starts to shake. Relentless. Steady. Consistent. Every. Single. Moment.

Never giving up. NEVER.

I have to decide that I won't let go, I won't stop, I will be unshakeable, relentless, steady, and consistent. Leaning on God. Trusting Him completely. I won't give up.  Every. Single. Time.


*Crash the Chatterbox credits