• Who Are You Going To Serve?

    By: Kristen L. McNulty



    There's a disturbing trend that is becoming all too common: when the going gets tough, we all stop. Instead of pushing through when we hit hard times we're encouraged to quit trying and find an easier way. This is evident when people bounce from job to job, from relationship to relationship, even from church to church. And while those instances are sad because we rob something from ourselves that we'd get in many cases when we stick it out, it's not the real tragedy. The real tragedy happens when Satan, yes the devil the very enemy of our souls, convinces us that when it comes to serving God it's okay to bow out when things start to get uncomfortable or a little too difficult.

    I beg you- don't believe the lie! Satan will stop at nothing to try and knock you out of the game- don't let him win! When life gets hard that's no time to throw in the towel, instead it's a time to dig deep and give everything you've got!

    Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us."

    Let me repeat that last part: "Run with endurance the race God has set before us."

    Do you know what endurance means? The dictionary definition of endurance is "the ability to exert itself and remain active for a long period of time, as well as the ability to resist, withstand, recover from, and have immunity to trauma, wounds or fatigue."

    Running with endurance means not giving up, it means throwing yourself completely into the relationships, ministries and opportunities to love that God presents you with and not stop running until the day that your heart stops beating.

    Is it always pleasant? No. Life can be tough and when it is, sometimes the temptation to give up is overwhelming, but something amazing happens when you don't: God meets you there, gives you strength and uses you to do things you could have never have dreamed of!

    I'm going to share with you a little secret. I've been putting together and hosting this radio show for over 11 years now. During that time, especially after the show spread and started being played on many different stations, I've been hit hard. I've lost people I loved like crazy. I've struggled with one sickness after another, multiple surgeries and a health scare so bad I could have easily died from it. I've hosted this show after days of not sleeping, times when I was in pain from head to toe and periods when my heart was wounded and I wanted to throw in the towel. But I kept going and I'm still here and this show has gone on to reach people around the globe. Not because of anything I've done, but because of everything God has done!

    Let Him do the same with you. Open your heart to Him and go where He leads, refusing to let the difficulties of life take you out of the game. He will take your willing heart and replace weakness with strength. Fear with faith. And despair with hope. But you've got to get off the bench and get in the game for this to happen. Nothing exciting normal happens on the sidelines, but games are made and destinies change by everything that happens on the field.

    We've only got one shot at this life. The question is what are you going to let yours be about? How many movies you've watched, parties you've gone to or things you've bought? Or will you instead get up and follow Jesus wherever He leads doing whatever He asks? It's time to shake off the dust, stand on even unsteady feet and do something with your life that is going to count. God created you and gifted you to meet a need in this world- whatever you do don't waste it!

    Reprint rights available on request. Email the author at kristenmcnulty@hotmail.com.

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