IMO: You Should Just Give Up - Tuesday
Nehemiah 4:3
…“What do they think they’re building? Why, if a fox climbed that wall, it would fall to pieces under his weight.” (MSG)
Have you ever been in over your head? I have… more times than I can count. It reminds me of Nehemiah, who followed God’s call to rebuild the ancient walls of Jerusalem, which lay totally in ruins. He had a boatload of critics too—mean-spirited guys who actually threatened to kill him on several occasions. Nevertheless, he pressed on and accomplished a seemingly impossible task despite the naysayers. The whole thing reads like a blockbuster movie streaming on Netflix. Read this snippet and see for yourself.
Here’s a personal question for you: Anything crashing down in your life these days? Do you ever feel so low that you could walk under a door wearing a top hat? Maybe you should do what Abe Lincoln did… he persevered. He failed twice with business endeavors. He failed in bids for state and national elections five times. His 22-year-old fiancé died in 1835, plunging him into deep depression; some suggest he had a nervous breakdown. In all, he endured 29 years of one failure after another… until 1860, when the man who signed his name “A. Lincoln” was elected the 16th President of the United States. I tell you that story to make a point: The difference between history’s boldest accomplishments and most staggering failures is often simply the will to keep going. Oh I know—you’re not Lincoln, right? But listen, friend. You don’t have to be Honest Abe; just be the very best version of yourself and stay in the game.
Back to Nehemiah… he and his crew did three things: They refused to bow to the enemy, they remembered the Lord, and then they built the wall. There’s your game plan!
Tuesday’s Reflection
Martin Luther, the 16th century reformer, had been depressed for several weeks. One day, his wife—dressed completely in black—entered his study while he was working. Luther asked, “Who died?” She replied, “God did!” He stood to his feet and bellowed, “God hasn’t died!” To which she lovingly responded, “Then live like it.” Always good to remember. God is on His Throne, Jesus is at His side, and they’re both alive and well. Aren’t you glad?
