Never Give Up

As I approached the halfway house to lead a Bible study, I felt discouraged and was struggling with self-doubt. Recently, a church member had harshly criticized a sermon I preached, and I was shaken by her criticism.

Upon entering the house, I was met by one of the residents. Beaming, he handed me a card. “This is for you,” he said. Other men from the Bible study group had gathered around to watch my response. Unknowingly, he had chosen the perfect card for what I was struggling with. Printed on the outside was 1 Corinthians 15:58. Inside he had written, “It may be a strange way to say it, but you care. The day of our Bible study we know you will be there. You pray for us. You open the scriptures to us. You care.” How humbling. How rejuvenating. How vital it is to show up and not give up!

The apostle Paul had plenty of reasons to give up. Not only did he face sharp criticism for sharing the gospel, he was brutally beaten, cursed, and slandered. Yet he kept going. It is imperative that those entrusted with the gospel prove faithful (see 1 Cor. 4:1-2). When we feel discouraged, the Bible offers examples of people who persevered, inspiring us to do the same.