DON’T GIVE UP! GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOU!
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”
It can be so hard to keep pushing through when it seems like life is throwing every curveball it can.
I can be working on my dreams, and one thing happens to throw me off course then I start believing that maybe it wasn’t meant for me to keep working on this plan.
Sometimes, I even think that I heard God’s call wrong. Was He really talking to me all those times, or was I eavesdropping on someone else’s calling?
When my understanding of what I should be doing returns, and I try again and it seems like things don’t work like I planned.
I get frustrated and I just want to quit…I want to give up. Is it really worth it to keep trying to reach my dreams and goals, when life gets in the way?
Just at the point of me giving up, I feel a gentle, loving, sweet nudge and that’s when I realize I haven’t consulted my HELP – The Holy Spirit – and He reminds me: “I have a plan.”
His loving reminder isn’t just that He has a plan…He has a plan specifically and strategically designed – tailor-made just for me – AND you.
When I receive that reassurance – sometimes it is so faint and it doesn’t last long enough for me to tune in to it, but I know with all of my heart that it can’t be anything but the presence of God – I have to be so present in that space and time to recognize God is telling me, “Hold on. Your Help is here. Trust me.”
When God reveals Himself through His Word, repetition, or however He chooses, I’m reminded not to give up.
I studied some scriptures that are powerful reminders that God is saying, “Don’t give up.”
These scriptures are true reminders that we can find our second wind, be strong, and find strength beyond our own, in the power of God.
Here are some key things to remember in this season.
KEEP DOING GOOD
GALATIANS 6:9 – LET US NOT BECOME WEARY IN DOING GOOD, FOR AT THE PROPER TIME WE WILL REAP A HARVEST IF WE DO NOT GIVE UP.
BE STRONG AND DON’T GIVE UP
2 CHRONICLES 15:7 – BUT AS FOR YOU, BE STRONG AND DON’T GIVE UP, FOR YOUR WORK WILL BE REWARDED.
YOUR STRENGTH COMES FROM GOD
PHILIPPIANS 4:13 – I CAN DO ALL THIS THROUGH GOD WHO GIVES ME STRENGTH.
GOD CAN DO ANYTHING
MATTHEW 19:26 – JESUS LOOKED AT THEM AND SAID, “WITH MAN THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE, BUT WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.”
SOME MORE THINGS TO REMEMBER AT THIS TIME:
God is still on the throne.
Things aren’t always going to work out the way we want but the best thing to do is TRUST HIM.
It’s hard to give up our own plans and wait for what God wants to show us.
The thing is when He shows us His plan it’s so much better than we could ever imagine.
We just have to keep working, while we wait. I know that sounds crazy but it’s true.
We just work and pray for His guidance. While we work He begins to push or nudge us in the direction He wants us to go
So while you wait remember these 3 things.
GOD IS WORTH THE WAIT
Wait on God. He’s worth it!
I’ve learned the more I complain in the waiting time the longer it takes for things to happen. But when I decide to seek Him during that time, instead of complaining, my situation gets better.
Waiting on God means just that…wait for His direction.
Does it mean we stop everything we’re doing in the mean time?
No.
We just have to put our best foot forward and pray for His direction.
God will give us guidance when we ask for it.
We just have to be ready to receive it.
Answers come from the places we never expect.
While you’re waiting, write your dreams and ambitions.
Ask Him how you can glorify Him with your dreams.
Seek direction from the Bible.
Don’t just use the word the way you want, but truly seek God’s direction. That means read the Bible for what He intended it for. Don’t just make the Bible agree with your thoughts and ideas.
That leads me to my next point. Be patient
BE PATIENT
Waiting takes a lot of patience.
A lot of patience!
If we really want to see God work in our lives we have to be patient.
His timing is not based on our time.
I know, I know. I want what I want now.
Sometimes, I wonder if that’s because I’ve been looking at the world and what’s happening there.
When I see what “looks” like happiness, I lose sight of the real joy that I get from waiting on God.
Be patient.
I can’t guarantee that He will answer every prayer the way we want.
I know that may not be what we want to hear.
But the Bible says He’s working everything out for our good.
I can’t tell you the outcome of 2020. I can’t tell you what 2021 will bring, but He’s working for our good.
I choose to believe that.
In believing, I also have to listen for His direction.
LISTEN
Listen for His direction. Seek His direction.
He will direct us. But the only way we will know His direction is by staying in His Word.
Read the Bible. It’s filled with direction for our lives.
Be patient even in that. God has left the answers for us. We just have to listen for His instruction.
When I say listen, I just mean, be attentive.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard His voice audibly, but I have felt His nudge.
That instinct that is beyond my control or what I could think of doing.
His nudges are stronger and the more you pray about your situation, they get stronger and they are backed up with His word.
A nudge from God is never contradictory to the word of God.
Keep asking for His guidance.
Don’t give up on it. He will answer in His time.
In His time, has been a struggle for me. But the more I pray about my situation, the more He gives me peace.
There is nothing like having peace when I’m struggling.
I just continue to listen – be attentive – seek Him, and I know that He will answer in His own time, and I’m learning to be patient for that.
CONCLUSION
In our efforts to hold on, we have to remember not to give up.
God has a plan for us. Jeremiah 29:11 says that.
Trust His plan.
You can learn to trust His plan by waiting, being patient, and listening.
Waiting for Him doesn’t mean we stop everything. We have to keep going.
We will know how to listen for Him as we read His word, but we must be patient throughout all of this.
God doesn’t work in our time.
We have to work in His time. We have to wait for His time.
I used to hear that maybe God isn’t blessing me because it’s not my time yet.
In reality, it’s not His time yet.
I know it may not sound like fun to wait, but when we learn that we are here for His glory, we learn that we are working in His time.
And the more we listen, the closer we get to the plan He has for us.
I would rather listen and wait in patience than spin my wheels in frustration.
I know because I’ve already done that. I’m not planning to go back to that.
I’ll keep working and planning for my dreams and Him in the process.
Be attentive to God.
Work while you wait for His direction.
Be patient for His answer.
Listen and seek Him.
If this helped you in any way, please let me know in the comments.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Aisha