Putting the Hand to the Plow

You get inspired to do something and go head long into accomplishing that task.  Not too long later one obstacle after another comes your way.  The road you are traveling comes with bumps and dips in it and many detours get you discouraged.  You are on the verge of giving up.  Don’t do it!  Success may be just around the next curve in the road.

William Carey spent almost forty years in Burma and India and when asked to explain his astonishing accomplishments, he simply answered, “Perseverance.”  Carey met many difficult trials and became discouraged from time to time.  Of course, the thought of giving up and throwing in the towel occurred more than once to him.  That is just the way that Satan works.  Carey said the reason he did not forsake his work was because he had “perseverance.”  He knew God was not finished with his work, so he just stayed at the task God had given him.

The road you travel may not be easy.  There may be many obstacles and much discouragement along the way.  Know this: when you are doing what God calls you to do, your job is to keep doing it no matter what.  The Thessalonians in the Bible are a prime example: “therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure” (2 Thess. 1:4).  Notice, they were bombarded and under attack from every side.  These Christians endures numerous “persecutions and afflictions;” notice they are plural.  Their secret to keeping the faith lies in the fact that no matter what obstacle came their way, they just exercised “perseverance.”

Stay the course that Christ has you walking.  Put your hand to the plow and don’t look back.  Keep a close walk with Christ and put “perseverance” into action in your life!