Have you ever been stuck? Have you ever hit a place in life that seemed like a dead end … like you no longer had any options?
I’ve been there many times, and I’m sure most people have. But I am so grateful that over the years God has taught me that even when we get stuck, there is no situation too difficult for Him to handle!
Let’s start by looking at the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis. The Bible says he was the favorite of his father’s 12 sons, and his brothers were very jealous of him because of it.
One day Joseph shared with his brothers a dream he’d had. In his dream, they were all bowing down to him. Needless to say, it didn’t go over well.
As a result, the brothers got together to decide how to get rid of Joseph. First, they threw him into a pit to leave him there to die. But later they decided to sell him into slavery to a band of traveling Ishmaelite merchants. They then devised a plan to convince their father of Joseph’s death.
As you may know, this story ends triumphantly. Joseph becomes second in command to Pharaoh, is eventually reunited with his family and all is forgiven.
What happened to Joseph is proof that no matter what you go through in life, there is always hope. You can fulfill God’s purpose for you because all things are possible with God. But the part of Joseph’s story we really need to focus on is what happened in between the pit and the palace. His life took several turns during that time. Because of Joseph’s faith in God and his determination to persevere no matter what, he never gave up.
In our own lives, we may fall into a pit every once in a while. It could be a pit of sickness, financial lack, relationship issues or other problems. Whenever that happens, you need to be determined that whatever the situation may be, you will not give up.
Always remember, in order to have a good testimony of what God has done, we must first pass the tests. In John 16:33b (AMP), Jesus said: “In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [confident, undaunted, filled with joy]; I have overcome the world. [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding].”
It is inevitable that you will go through hard things. Sometimes you might even feel like giving up. But if you can just hold on and trust God through it all, He can restore you. He can take all the bad and make good of it (see Rom. 8:28).
It is said that Winston Churchill gave the following speech to the graduates at Harrow School in 1941: “Never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense.” Churchill spoke these words during World War II, and I believe the Holy Spirit is speaking that one thing to many of us today—“Don’t give up, because God has so much in store for your life!”
When things get hard, people sometimes get stuck where they are and don’t know how to get out, so they think giving up would be easier. They may feel like they’re not smart enough or talented enough, maybe something traumatic happened to them, or they may have failed at something or made terrible mistakes in the past.
But the Holy Spirit gives us His grace and power to press in, to press on and go through to our victory, even if things don’t go the way we planned.
Failure does not mean there are no more options. You can learn from past mistakes, and I’ve found history to be a good teacher. When all else fails, try again. If nothing else, you’ll learn what works and what doesn’t work and go from there. You can turn your obstacle into an opportunity to grow wiser and mature spiritually.
God wants us to live a good life; however, there is no elevator ride to a good life—trust and perseverance are a must.
In John 10:10, Jesus said, “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].” The Holy Spirit will lead us one step at a time into the good life God has planned for each of us. Our part is to take those steps by faith—and never give up! {eoa}
Joyce Meyer is a New York Times bestselling author and founder of Joyce Meyer Ministries, Inc. She has authored over 135 books, including Battlefield of the Mind and The Power of Thank You (FaithWords). She hosts the Enjoying Everyday Life radio and TV programs, which air on hundreds of stations worldwide. For more information, visit www.joycemeyer.org.
