You’re putting in the hours. You’re hustling.
But the results aren’t coming in – at least now how you hoped.
It could be a career, your marriage, your ministry, your health, or any area of your life. You feel discouraged and you want to quit.
You’re not the first to feel this way. Take a lesson from the Israelites.
From Procrastination to Work
The Israelites returned from Babylonian captivity, but work on the temple was delayed. Living comfortable lives in their own houses was more important than completing the construction of God’s house.
God rebuked them, and they started again working on the temple. But they ran into another problem.
Discouragement.
From Work to Discouragement
Within a month, they began to look at the temple they were building. In their minds, it didn’t live up.
They remembered the old temple. And they had such lofty dreams of what they would do for God.
But reality was different. They couldn’t escape the feeling that they were letting themselves down and they were letting God down.
From Discouragement to Freedom
So God encourages them through his prophet, Haggai. “Yet now be strong,” God tells them. “Work, for I am with you.”
The work will be hard. They will need to be strong. Their hands may ache. There may be days of fatigue.
But God is with them. And because of his presence, they are free – free to work knowing that God will transform their efforts into something beautiful, something meaningful, something to bring him glory.
Never Quit
So keep going. Even when what you’re building seems disappointing.
God has prepared good works for you to do and he promises that he’ll work it all out for your good and for his glory.
Don’t give up. God is with you.
Photo Credit: rabble (Creative Commons)
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