Feel Like Giving Up?

Psalm 119:81 - "My soul faints with longing for your salvation, but I have put my hope in your word."

"I'm tired of being a Christian!"

"I'm not sure that God even exists!"

"I don't know if God really answers prayers!"

"I'm ready to give up!"

I hear Christians say things like this all the time. I just got off of my Facebook account reading two students echo similar sentiment. It can be so depressing. In this verse David is pleading with God for resuce. He needs God to show His power. And, even though that power hasn't been shown for some time, David decides that he will plant his feet firmly with Jehovah. He will trust in God's Word.

I wish all Christians could experience the things that I got to see today. I'm in Chicago on our mission trip prep trip. We are bringing a group of students to the south side of Chicago this summer. It will be our second year in a row working in this impoverished community. We partner with the Sunshine Gospel Mission in Chicago. This organization has been around for over 100 years. They have served the great city of Chicago well. A few years ago God opened the door for this ministry to purchase a building that is also over 100 years old in the heart of an impoverished neighborhood. The hope was to restore the builiding and bring hope to the neighborhood through free job skills training, after school care, youth groups, hip hop services, etc. When I was here a year ago, the building looked like a bomb had exploded in it. Today, this former crack house is ministering to hundreds of people from the neighborhood. The computer classroom was filled with about 12 people learning how to use Microsoft Office and being given the skills that they need to find a job.

That's hope! That's what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. It's about getting our eyes off of ourselves and living for Christ. It's about being His hands and feet in this world. It's about caring for those who are less fortunate than us. It's about recognizing that there are people who are screaming out for God's salvation and recognizing that we might just be the tools that God has equipped to help bring his salvation to others. We can't save. Only God can do that. But, we can be part of God's redemptive work in this world.

Dear God,

I pray for my friends who are doubting today. I pray that You would help them to see the difference between empty religion and a life changing relationship with You. Help us to honor You with our everything.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.