Keep Going!

Alexis Patterson, GFC Lutz

It’s that time of the year where we’ve gotten more settled in after the new year and those resolutions we declared seem to be harder and harder to keep. And, if some of us are being honest, they’re not just hard to keep, it’s been hard to start. Well if that is you, you’re in good company with me. However, there’s been this push, this purpose and a fire that has set my heart ablaze. It’s the calling that God has put on my life. Please don’t think I’m special here, we all have a calling. Though it manifests itself very differently for each of us, the purpose is the same…to spread the love of Jesus Christ to the world! Hold on, stay with me here because you don’t have to have a ministry title to be a part of that calling. In fact, most of us don’t have the title. Most of us go to work everyday in secular marketplace settings or stay at home with our beautiful children and maybe even take care of elderly parents. Most of us are in educational institutions or work in the medical field. My point is, most of us aren’t missionaries traveling the world or preaching the gospel from a pulpit or stage. Our platforms are more intimate and our exchanges go unseen by the world at large. Our works don’t get published and to many our  labor goes practically unknown. Well, I can stand on this promise that God sees it all and not only does He see it, He is pleased.

 

So keep going! I know it can be hard but, my goal is to motivate you, to inspire you, to encourage you to speak into your own soul and thrust yourself forward to keep going! Now, can I simplify some things for you? I believe there are three practical ways you can reset your focus to keep going.

1. Keep pursuing righteousness (Jesus). We seek to know His ways, His truth, and His commands. In all things, seek to know the heart of our Lord and Savior. Pursuing Jesus simply means we are engaging in an intimate relationship with Him so that we can know His heart and standards for our lives. The way that we get to know those standards is through our habits of studying the love story so beautifully placed in our Bible. Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity, and honor. Proverbs 21:21

2. Keep going after the dreams God has placed in your heart. Those dreams can be in the form of goals and even your purpose.”I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” Philippians 3:14. Earlier I shared how God has placed such a passion in my heart, you know that calling on my life. Well He’s asked me to share the truth of His love through my writing/teaching and building relationships with people so that they can be encouraged to get to know Him in their own special way. He’s got a special way to bring out His purpose through you too. It’s going to glorify Him if you keep going and trust Him to take you to levels and places that only He has for you. Keep going! As you go beware it may get hard and the vision may begin to fade but “don’t let weariness destroy your vision”- Sheila Walsh

3. Keep spending time in prayer. This is the last point but I promise it is not any less important than the previous two. Prayer is the most powerful tool to keep pursuing Jesus and going after your dreams. Prayer is the medium in which we invite God into our lives and allow Him to be our Lord and guide us through life. Prayer is not a mysterious thing. It is our weapon against the enemy’s distractions and our love language to our Father’s ears. While in prayer, seek first the Kingdom of heaven, stay close to the throne, and pray the prayers that are life changing while getting all of heaven’s attention. I love how Jesus reminds us in Matthew how to pray. Jesus says “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then the Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” Matthew 6:6. Don’t stop going to the Father in fact, keep going! Go to Him with joy, thanksgiving, questions, petitions, and repentance. He’s so eager to hear from you. He’s ready to share His heart with you.

Friends, I hope you’re encouraged to keep going. I prayed before the submission of this blog for the sweet friend that needs this encouragement would find it here. God has so much in store for you and the much more He has is on the other side of your perseverance. Galatians 6:9 says it best “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Let’s keep going! Let’s push through even when it’s hard.  Now, it’s all up to you. Your choice from this point forward matters. Your choice has the ability to push you forwards or send you backwards. You can even get an accountability partner to help encourage you along the way but, whatever you do, don’t stop, keep going!