Have you missed it? What is the message?

Have you missed it? What is the Message?

For the past couple of weeks, I have been inundated with a message, and I almost missed it. As I was walking through my daily life, from bible study to twitter and everything in between, one message has been flashing as bright as the NEON open sign at Shipley’s donuts, Don’t give up too soon.

My favorite, however, was the post I saw several times on Facebook, “I threw in the towel. God threw it back to me, told me to wipe my face; you are almost there”! In Ecc 3:1-8, Solomon talks about time, and God has appointed a time for everything. Verse 8 is usually where I stopped reading. But the header in my Bible (ESL) for V9-15 caught my attention today: “The God-Given Task.” What is my God-given task, and am I giving up too soon before I enJoy God’s gift? This passage spoke to me about trusting God’s timing, because He has made everything beautiful in its time. God has made everything beautiful, not DaLee; his timing is not for me to know or understand as I cannot add to it nor take away from it. God has done that so that He and He alone receives the glory. Solomon also reminds us in V12 that there is nothing better for us than to be Joyful and do good as long as we live. Being Joyful comes from knowing our Savior, from having the peace that comes only from a relationship, not from our circumstances. And in V13, God’s gift to us is to enjoy the work of our hands.

So, back to my NEON sign: Don’t give up too soon! As I looked at the challenges in my life, and the places that I was tempted to throw in the towel, like losing that last 10 pounds, mending that relationship, taking the NEXT step, or finishing a course that I started, I am reminded of my favorite verses: James 1:2-4:

²Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

I will persevere! Are you giving up on something too soon? Have you thrown in the towel?

^[1]The New International Version. (2011). (Jas 1:2–4). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.