Have you ever been stuck? Have you ever hit a place in life that seemed like a dead end…like you no longer had any options?
I’ve been there many times, and I’m sure most people have. But I am so grateful that over the years God has taught me that even when we get stuck, there is no situation too difficult for Him to handle!
Let’s start by looking at the story of Joseph in the Book of Genesis, chapters 37 through 50. The Bible says he was the favorite of his father’s 12 sons, and his brothers were very jealous of him because of it.
One day Joseph shared with his brothers a dream he’d had. In his dream, they were all bowing down to him. Needless to say, it didn’t go over well!
As a result, the brothers got together to decide how to get rid of Joseph. First, they threw him into a pit to leave him there to die. But later they decided to sell him into slavery to a band of traveling Ishmaelite merchants. They then devised a plan to convince their father of Joseph’s death.
As you may know, this story ends triumphantly. Joseph becomes second in command to Pharaoh, is eventually reunited with his family, and all is forgiven.
What happened to Joseph is proof that no matter what you go through in life, there is always hope. You can fulfill your God-given destiny because all things are possible with God!
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But the part of his story we really need to focus on is what happened in between the pit and the palace. Joseph’s life took several turns during that time. But because of his faith in God and his determination to persevere no matter what, Joseph never gave up!
In our own lives, we may fall into a pit every once in a while. It could be a pit of sickness, financial lack, relationship issues, or other problems. Whenever that happens, we need to be determined that whatever the situation may be, we will not give up!
The truth is, if we want to have a good testimony of what God has done, we must first pass the tests. But we don’t have to be discouraged or afraid of the challenges that will come our way. In John 16:33, Jesus tells us, “…In this world you have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (NIV).
It is inevitable that you will go through hard things. Sometimes you might even feel like giving up. But if you can just hold on and trust God through it all, He can restore you. He can take all the bad and make good of it (Rom. 8:28).
It is said that Winston Churchill shared this in his speech to the graduates at Harrow School in 1941:
…Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in….
Churchill said those words during World War II, and I believe the Holy Spirit is speaking the same message to many of us today—“Don’t give up, because God has so much in store for your life!”
You know, it’s easy to want to give up when things get hard. Sometimes people get stuck where they are and don’t know how to get out, so they think giving up is all they can do.
They may feel like they’re not smart enough or talented enough; maybe something traumatic happened to them; or they may have failed at something or made terrible mistakes in the past.
But the Holy Spirit wants to empower us to press in, to press on, and go through to our victory even if things don’t go the way we planned.
Failure does not mean there are no more options. You can learn from past mistakes; in fact, I’ve found history to be a good teacher. When all else fails, try again. If nothing else, you’ll learn what works and what doesn’t work and can go from there. With God’s help, you can turn your obstacle into an opportunity to grow wiser and mature spiritually.
God wants us to live a good life; however, there is no elevator ride to a good life—trust and perseverance are a must.
In John 10:10, Jesus said, “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (NIV). The Holy Spirit will lead us one step of faith at a time into the good life God has planned for each of us. Our part is to take those steps…and never give up!
For more on this topic, order Joyce’s four-part teaching resource It’s Never Too Late. You can also contact us to receive our free magazine, Enjoying Everyday Life, by calling (800) 727-9673 or visiting www.joycemeyer.org
Joyce Meyer is a New York Times bestselling author and founder of Joyce Meyer Ministries, Inc. She has authored more than 150 books, including BATTLEFIELD OF THE MIND and OVERCOMING EVERY PROBLEM (FaithWords). She hosts the Enjoying Everyday Life program, which is broadcast to millions in over 110 languages. For more information, visit www.joycemeyer.org
Please note: The views and opinions expressed throughout this publication and/or website are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Joyce Meyer Ministries.
