Don't give up on You!

"One who faces his own failures is steadily advancing on the pilgrim's way." William Temple

Most of us know how we ought to live. Who we should be. What we should do. 

We know the ideal that is laid out before us. That is, we ought be strong and vigorous. On fire for God. Full of faith. Encouraged. Joyful. Zealous and passionate. Entirely charitable. Courageous. Unselfish servants, labouring tirelessly for our Master. Holy, just and temperate, growing into the likeness of Christ. 

We ought to be people of faith, vision, zeal, and power.

However, life takes its toll upon us. 

• Suffering
• Failure
• Sin
• Selfishness
• Fleshly living
• Worldliness
• Sickness
• Hurt
• Betrayal
• Disappointment
• Heartache 
• Fatigue

For a great number of reasons, at certain seasons of life, we find ourselves falling well short of the ideal. 

We become:

• Weak
• Broken
• Hurting
• Backslidden
• Doubting 
• Discouraged
• Resentful
• Overcome
• Overwhelmed
• Weary
• Disillusioned
• Cold
• Fallen

Consider the poignant story of Naomi. During a ten-year sojourn in the Gentile land of Moab, a respite from the famine in Bethlehem, Naomi’s husband and two sons tragically died. What was her response to this trial?

“So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi [pleasant], call me Mara [bitter]: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?” See Ruth 1:19-21

Naomi became bitter and disillusioned. She was no longer close to God. Naomi was even very open about her state of resentment towards God. Others had trusted God through sorrow and grief, but not Naomi. Job had said, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” Not Naomi. She was backslidden and bitter. 

How does God view us when we are in such a state? 

How does God deal with the weak, weary, discouraged, broken, backslidden, or doubting believer?

Consider the prophetic words of Isaiah:

“Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth;

I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.

A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench:

he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.”

Isaiah 42:1-3

Who is this talking about? Jesus. 

“Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.” Matthew 12:18-21

A bruised reed was a slender plant that was damaged but not quite broken. A smoking flax was a woven plant that had been burning and providing useful light, but now was barely lit at all. In both cases, these plants were no longer in prime condition, being damaged and exhausted. However, they had not reached the stage of being hopeless just yet. Not quite. How does the Saviour treat such “damaged goods”? With mercy and patience. 

Here is the truth: 

God does not give up on us, even when we give up on ourselves. 

That is, God continues to patiently and gently work with us. God is faithful. 

“If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13

In our modern society of cheap, disposable goods, we have little patience with broken, damaged items. Rather than take the time and effort to repair them, we throw them away, and buy a replacement. It was different indeed in days gone by, when goods were expensive, but of high quality. Items lasted for many years, and were patiently repaired, sometimes at considerable expense, if they were damaged or worn out. For example, appliances such as fridges or washing machines lasted for 20, 30 and 40 years, or more. Not so today. 

God does not see us as cheap, disposable servants, but as people of great value and potential. When we are weary, backslidden, discouraged, or hurting, our Master perseveres with us, lovingly and patiently seeking to restore us. 

Consider a few examples from the scriptures.

John the Baptist was shut up in prison, awaiting his execution. Peter had been miraculously delivered, but not John. John began to have doubts – serious doubts. So much so, that he questioned the person of Jesus. What did Jesus have to say about John at that point? “What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings 'courts. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist…” (Luke 7:24-28) Why did the Saviour speak well of John when he was so discouraged and doubtful? “A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench…”

Simon Peter failed in a big way. It doesn’t get much worse than denying the Lord with cursing and swearing! I guess Jesus was finished with Peter, right? Time to find a replacement? No. Soon after his catastrophic failure, Peter stood up at Pentecost and preached to massive crowds, and thousands got saved and baptised. Why? “A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench…”

Jonah ran from the call of God, and even tried to run from the very presence of God Himself. Epic fail! Enter the whale! After being swallowed up – and, in my opinion, dying, and getting revived – Jonah got right with God. Did the Lord find Himself another prophet to go Nineveh, one who was more compassionate and willing? No. The Word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, he preached, and revival ensued. Why? “A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench…”

Abraham, fondly remembered as the faithful and courageous patriarch, was faithless and deceitful on several occasions. He messed up and tarnished his testimony among the heathen. Not the behaviour we might expect from the father of the nation of Israel! Did God stick with Abraham? Yes. Did God bring forth Jesus from his lineage? Yes. Why? “A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench…”

Now, back to the story of Naomi. Did she recover from her bitterness? Let us see:

“And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz. And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen. 

“So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son. And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.”

Ruth 2:19-20, 4:13-17

Naomi did recover from her bitterness. And, God did not abandon her. In fact, Naomi has an esteemed place in the lineage of Jesus Christ, as the great grandmother off none less than King David. Why? “A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench…”

Christian, God will patiently, gently and lovingly work with you. He will never, ever give up on you. 

How does God do this? How does He work with us?

• God speaks to us – through reading His Word; preaching; books; music. 
• God helps us in our inner man and gives us grace – not that we necessarily feel or recognise this grace and help.
• God chastens and reproves us – not in anger or frustration, but in love. 
• God ministers to us with His people – the church comforts & edifies us.

God will not cast us away! Let us therefore return unto Him:

“Come, and let us return unto the Lord:

for he hath torn, and he will heal us;

he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

After two days will he revive us:

in the third day he will raise us up,

and we shall live in his sight.”

Hosea 6:1-2

Consider the Potter’s house:

“Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.” Jeremiah 18:3-4

Did the potter throw away the damaged pot? No – “he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.” The vessel had been marred during the pottery process, while in the hand of the potter.  The potter’s response to this was to remake the pot, not toss it away like worthless garbage. Consider verse 6:

“O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.” 

Our Lord is the potter, and we are the clay. Life is His Potter’s wheel. What happens when we become damaged; marred; defaced; broken; scarred; disfigured; spoiled; blemished; maimed? God makes us again. God does not toss us onto the scrap heap of life!

What did David say?

“Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.” Psalm 18:35

Our God is a gentle and patient God. He is more patient with you than you are with you. God’s mercies are new every morning!

“God’s mercy is so great that you may sooner drain the sea of its water, or deprive the sun of its light, or make space too narrow, than diminish the great mercy of God.” Charles Spurgeon

What must we do? Consider this:

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ…For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 1:6, 2:13

Do not give up on you, because God will not give up on you.  

Give God what you have, and ask Him to keep working with you.

“And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.” Revelation 3:1-13

Remember, my weary and broken friend:

A bruised reed shall he not break,

and the smoking flax shall he not quench: