Never Give Up
By
Kelli Beaucage
In
this technologically advanced age, one would
expect that we would not only be living longer
lives, but much happier ones also. Yet a closer
look at the average family today reveals an
altogether different story. Many are unhappy,
unfulfilled and lonely. Some are so discouraged
that they have given up hope.
I
believe one of the main reasons many people
give up on life is they lack a sense of purpose.
The Bible tells us that we are here for a reason
and God Himself has placed within us the desire
for significance.
That's
why children find it so easy to have great and
grandiose dreams of what they want to do when
they grow up. Yet so often, as they mature to
adulthood, the realities of life cause those
dreams to shatter. Hurts and bitterness cloud
the bright and vibrant aspirations of childhood.
It may be a divorce crushing the dream of having
a "perfect" marriage. It may the loss
of physical health. It may be failures or tragedies.
These experiences diminish our expectations,
leaving behind a sense of emptiness, disappointment
and futility.
At
this point, we are faced with choices that will
ultimately define our future.
Leave
the Past Behind
I
know what it's like to grieve over broken dreams.
One such trial came just this past year when
I realized that after eight years of holding
onto a diseased uterus, it was no longer wise
to avoid having surgery. As I stood at the crossroads
of making this decision, the unfulfilled dream
of motherhood slipped through my hands like
sand. I felt as though I would drown in sea
of emptiness, disappointment and discouragement.
Still,
I knew the choice I had to make. My dreams of
motherhood had to remain in the past; it was
time for me to move on.
We
have no control over some of the things that
happen to us. We can, however, control what
happens in us. We all have choices. We can either
choose to live in the hurts and pain, or we
can choose to go on, rising above the circumstances
and believing that God is so much greater than
anything we've ever experienced. We can choose
to leave the past in the past and let God guide
us into a better future.
Enter
- God!
I
know from personal experience that if we open
up the barren areas of our lives to God, the
brightness of hope for the future will surpass
anything negative from the past. Repeatedly,
the Bible exhorts us to forget what lies behind,
and to go for what lies ahead of us. There's
a new day waiting for you. Refuse to let your
past dictate your future. Include Jesus in your
journey, and you will find that you have so
much to look forward to.
Enjoy
Each Day
Disappointments
will cross your path in the future. Every day
brings its share of challenges. Still, we can
choose to enjoy each day as it comes, purposing
not to dwell on the things we can't change.
As our attitude towards life changes, we tap
into a deep God-given joy. Hope re-ignites in
our hearts, and we begin to dream again. This
joy, hope and vision carries us through difficult
times as we allow God to take us forward - never
looking back and never giving up!
Kelli Beaucage is a freelance writer
and ordained minister. She and her husband,
Leonard, pastor a church in Saskatchewan, Canada.
If you would like to interact with her about
this article, e-mail: Len & Kelli Beaucage
bfordsvictory@sasktel.net
Do
you know God personally? Read:
Peace with God
