Holding The Course - The One Year Women's Friendship Devotional

Holding the Course

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.

Philippians 3:12

Have you ever signed on for something and then in the middle of it decided the assignment was tedious, difficult, a mistake? Join the club.

What should we do when we hit those tough times? First, we should pray, asking for direction and insight. The most profound prayer we can ever offer is just one word: “Help!”

As we ponder what brought us to this tough place, if we discover it was rebellion or sin, it’s time to confess that to the Lord and then get out of there.

If we’re in the place where we need to be but we’re in over our heads, we may have to ask a supervisor for clarification or seek extra training.

But if we’re merely disappointed because things aren’t going the way we hoped, thought, and prayed they would, it’s time to analyze what we need to do. Sometimes we need to work longer hours. Sometimes we need a fresh reminder of our calling. Sometimes we just need to get over ourselves.

I remember times when I thought, This isn’t the way I thought it would be. In fact, at one job I kept two yellow sticky notes in my top desk drawer and read them every morning. The first note held a quotation by nineteenth-century evangelist Dwight L. Moody: “Don’t doubt in the dark what God has shown you in the light.” The other simply said, “It’s always too soon to quit.” Both were good reminders to take a deep breath and tackle the task at hand. —SANDRA

Lord, sometimes assignments, relationships, tasks, and even life itself are just too difficult. Lately, I feel like a child trying to climb an ice mountain. Just about the time I think I have solid footing, I slip into some scary crevasse. So here I am again, asking for your direction. Help me to recognize the situations I need to leave. And for those responsibilities that have come directly from you, give me the strength to see them through.

It is folly to believe God liberates us from all discomfort and affliction. What He does do is give us the will and determination to go on, even in the face of tough times. He works within us to give us peace and strength and courage; those things necessary to get through life. We can be sure that our trials will not come to an end, but the love of God will see that we get through anything that comes our way.

—DAN R. DICK, AUTHOR