By Toni Ford
Have you ever stopped to thank God for being a God of second chances? I know personally that I don’t thank Him enough for all the second, third, fourth, ect., chances He has given me in my lifetime and will continue to give me. When you think about it, we all have failed or messed up in life at some point, and many of those times we might not even remember. The challenge becomes, when I do fail at something, do I keep pressing on or do I give up? Too many people make the mistake of quitting just short of success.
Did you know that R.H. Macy failed seven times before his store in New York caught on? Babe Ruth struck out 1,330 times but hit 714 home runs. Colonel Sanders went to more than 1,009 places trying to sell his chicken recipe before he found an interested buyer. Walt Disney was turned down 302 times before he received financing for his dream of creating the “Happiest Place on Earth.” Today, millions of people share the joy of Disney every year. Thomas Edison tried almost 10,000 times before he succeeded in creating an electric light. Had he given up, you and I still might be reading in the dark!
So, what does the Word of God say about keeping on?
Job 17:9. “The righteous keep moving forward, and those with clean hands become stronger and stronger.” There is a promise for remaining righteous before the Lord and for not giving up. Job understood this promise and he never quit on God.
Philippians 3:14. “I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” If you are feeling discouraged, beat down or wanting to give up, I encourage you to pray and read this verse daily. Paul, the writer of Philippians, probably had more reasons than all of us put together to give up on life and give up on serving God. However, he continued to press on, for he knew there was an even greater prize at the end. Today, you might feel like Paul and might have many reasons to give up, but I promise that if you will keeping pressing on, keep seeking the Lord even when you do not think anything is happening, He will show Himself faithful, and you will receive a heavenly prize, which is far greater than any earthly prize!
Psalm 32:8. “The Lord says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.” What path are you currently on? Do you need direction in your life? I know I do, and I also know that our God wants to speak to us, direct us, guide us, and most of all, show us the very best path. If we seek Him, He will guide us!
Philippians 1:6. “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Confident is a strong word to me. I think of unwavering, solid, firm, sturdy and unmovable. This is how we are to think and believe when it comes to the fact that God is working in our lives and working for our good. What He meant for our good, He wants to see it come into fruition, if we will just align ourselves with Him and trust Him in the process.
God is doing a work in each of us and is here to guide us, teach us and walk this journey with us. Our responsibility is to trust Him and not give up during the process. Keep on going, no matter what. If you really believe in what you are doing, give it all you have and don’t give up. Make sure you constantly evaluate your approach and seek the Lord’s wisdom and direction as your try and reach your goal. If you trust the Lord, seek after Him and stay determined to keep on keeping on, you will eventually reach your ultimate destination. God is for you, and when we invite Him and allow Him to be part of the journey, we will find success sooner rather than later!
Thank you, Jesus, for always being a God of second chances. Give me strength to never give up on the dreams you have given me, and may I always seek You and allow You to be a part of this journey!
If you would like me to join you in prayer please e-mail me at tonif77@gmail.com. I would love to pray for you!