Run!

​Can I ask you a personal question? Have you ever thought about quitting? Have you decided you are ready to stop being a Christian? Or stop going to church? Has somebody let you down, and it has hurt your heart, and you do not want anything to do with them or Christianity? 

The fact of life is that it does not matter how you start out in life; what matters is how you finish up. One of the keys to making it in the Christian life is persistence. I want to talk today about how to last serving the Lord. It takes Teamwork. In the area that you are working.

​There are going to be times when you will experience discouragement. There are going to be times when your Life group is not where you want it to be, things are going to be happening, there is inter-personal conflict. Because you are serving in such a crucial and vital position in our church, the devil is going to do everything he can to destroy, attack, discourage, defeat and disappoint you. 

There have been times I felt like a failure in the game of life. The combination of all these struggles left me feeling like I wanted to quit. A few days passed, and a new storm took place–an accident, cancer, and death. I felt pain and did not know if I could go on.

In the middle of my pain, God moved in my heart and reminded me of three important things. Friend, regardless of the size of your storm or the damage it creates, this lesson is one I, and you, need to remember.

When you feel like you cannot go on, remember to keep things in the right perspective. Remember, our vision is narrow; only God sees all and knows all. He tells us He has a plan (Jeremiah 29:11)… it is one for good and has a purpose. Trust Him. Let me give you an example of “right perspective.”

I want to share a story about a famous composer-pianist who was to perform at a great concert hall in America. It was an evening to remember—black tuxedos and long evening dresses—a high–society extravaganza. Present in the audience that evening was a mother with her fidgety nine-year-old son. Weary of waiting, the little boy squirmed in his seat. His mother was hoping that her boy would be encouraged to practice the piano if he could just hear the immortal pianist at the keyboard. So, against the little boy's wishes, he had come.

As the mother turned to talk with friends, her son decided that he could stay seated no longer. He slipped away from her side, strangely drawn to the ebony concert grand Steinway and its leather–tufted stool on the huge stage flooded with blinding lights. Without much notice from the sophisticated audience, the boy sat down on the stool, staring wide-eyed at the black and white keys. He placed his small, trembling fingers in the right location and began to play "Chopsticks." The roar of the crowd hushed as hundreds of frowning faces turned in his direction. Irritated and embarrassed, they began to shout: “Get that boy away from there!" "Who would bring a kid that young in here?" "Where's his mother?" "Somebody stop him!"

Backstage, the star overheard the sounds out front and quickly put together in his mind what was happening. Hurriedly, he grabbed his coat and rushed toward the stage. Without one word of announcement, he stooped over behind the stool, reached around the boy, and began to improvise a countermelody to harmonize with and enhance the boy’s rendition of "Chopsticks." As the two of them played together, the famous pianist kept whispering in the boy's ear, "Keep going. Do not quit, son. Keep playing. Don't stop... don't quit."

God is the expert who improvises a countermelody and enhances our efforts. Like the master pianist, He whispers in our ear. "Don't stop... Don't give up." He recognizes and encourages us to continue, even when our efforts appear small—especially in the eyes of others (or how we think others see our efforts).

The second thing I have learned, when the desire to quit comes from feelings of failure, will you stop and let go of the ideal of perfection?

Friends, there is one Perfect Person, and it is not me or you. Jesus is Perfect, and we should strive to be more and more like Him every day. You cannot waste your life worrying about failed moments in your life.

Worry is counterproductive:

• It wastes time that could be spent in better ways
• It focuses on the problem, not the solution
• It causes us to assume responsibility that belongs only to God
• It paralyzes us with fear
• It saps our joy
• It drains our energy
• It keeps us sidetracked when we could be doing God’s will
• If we want to get off to a good start each morning, we need to begin in the right place

We must not let our “failures” cause us to quit. Our struggles, shortcomings, and setbacks can lead to growth… if we let them. Through hard times, our faith gets stronger, and God’s Perfection is clearer.

Finally, when we want to quit (regardless of the reason), we must do what Jesus did, persevere. Faith is not a one-time thing… it is a muscle we must exercise daily. He often allows trials, troubles, tribulations, and problems in your life to teach you diligence, determination, and character.

I love what Paul shares about troubles, failures, and disappointments in Romans 5:3-4 GWT: “When we are suffering. We know that suffering creates endurance, endurance creates character, and character creates confidence.”

Let me give you one more piece of encouragement today. In 2 Corinthians 4:16 NLT, “That is why we never give up. People who follow Jesus, keep on keeping on no matter what happens in life. Followers of Jesus are single-minded. Followers of Jesus are hardworking. Followers of Jesus do not know how to quit. 

God does not expect us to arrive overnight, but He did create us to press on through the pain and endure the trials. When we do, He will strengthen our faith and bless our obedience.

God is more interested in what you are becoming than in what is happening to you. The problem you are going through right now, it is an examination of your faithfulness. Will you continue to serve God even when life is tough?

Make Every Day Count!

Pastor Barry Yates

Watch Sermon

Sermon Notes