What if it’s Hard? Finding Strength in God When You Want to Give Up.

God calls us to the specific places he wants us to work. We’re all ministers, whether or not we stand in a pulpit. Ministry is wherever God has put you to work. Right now, for me, that’s writing. Following our God-given calling is great, but it can also be difficult. 

Just because God has called us to do something doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy. Don’t listen to anyone who tells you it will be. There are going to be hard times. Times when you don’t know how things are going to work out. Times when you’re confused, tired, scared. You may reach the point where you feel like giving up. I know I have. 

I’m just starting out on my writing journey. Okay, to be fair, I’ve been writing my entire life, but I’ve only been a “professional” author since August 2022. That’s when I launched my website. By the end of that year, I had a website, was building a mailing list and social media following, and published my first book. Things were going well. Until they weren’t. 

The thing about books is, they need readers. The thing about newsletters is, people have to open them. Sharing promos? You need to get clicks. Posting on social media? Likes and follows. But what if you aren’t getting any of that? You’ve stalled. 

I stalled. I felt like nothing was happening. My newsletter and online following weren’t growing as much as they once was. People weren’t opening my newsletters. I wasn’t getting reviews. And, the part that bothered me most, my books weren’t selling. No one was reading them! 

It was horrible. One day, I thought about writing, but another thought popped into my mind. What’s the use if no one is going to read it? 

But the Lord was with me in that moment. That depressing thought was a lie of the enemy. And the truth spoke louder.

I can’t give up. God called me here. And he hasn’t called me to fail. 

I thought about the books that have helped me in my life. God moved through them, and I don’t know where I’d be today without them. God can use fiction to have a big impact on our lives. And God has called me to this ministry of writing. I believe that, one day, he’ll use my books too. Someone needs them. 

God has been in this ministry since the beginning. He’s called me, made me able to write, given me stories, and cleared the path for me to be able to publish. He wants me here, and I can’t give up. 

Does that mean I never feel like it? Does it mean I no longer get discouraged? Not even close. I had the same thought the other day, the thought of ‘what’s the use.’ But, again, the truth speaks louder than lies. 

That’s the way it is sometimes. Our callings, our ministries, are beautiful things we are blessed to have. But they are also something we may have to fight for. Life is hard, and the enemy will try to stop us from fulfilling our purpose. 

Think about it. If God has called us to do something, the devil automatically doesn’t want us to do it. God has a reason for calling us, and good will come from it; it will help others and glorify God. The devil hates when that happens. So what then? He tries to stop us. 

When that happens, we need to remember God’s truth. We need to speak the truth over the lies. Following Jesus’ example, we need to say, “Away from me, Satan!” (Matthew 4:10, NIV)

The devil can’t be where God is. When we pray and seek God’s strength, we will overcome whatever the enemy, or life, may throw at us. 

Remember, when we are weak, then we are strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10) 

We don’t have to go through anything alone. “God is faithful.” (1 Corinthians 1:9)

Whatever you are facing, God will carry you through. He’s with you in it; right there with you in the pain and doubts. He will stay by your side. Reach out to him. He will help you. 

And don’t give up. We never know what impact our calling and ministry will have on others and ourselves. But God does. He knows why he called us, and what he wants us to do. And he knows the path we walk to get there. 

Whatever your calling may be, God already knew every step you would take before he called you. He knew there would be rough days, and days that would leave you confused, scared, or exhausted. Your struggles are not a surprise to God. He knew the trouble was coming, and he already has an answer for it. 

Our part isn’t to figure everything out. Our part is to trust God and obey. 

We aren’t expected to do everything in our strength. We need to live in God’s strength. 

And when we’re exhausted or worn out, we can rest. That’s a thing about pursuing our calling that many of us overlook, and, if I’m honest, I still struggle with it myself. We don’t have to work twenty-four-seven. Burnout is not a requirement for serving God. Even Jesus rested. (Luke 5:16) God rested. (Genesis 2:2-3) We can rest, too. 

And don’t underestimate your impact. You may already be making a difference without even realizing it. Just because you can’t see the results of your labor doesn’t mean they aren’t there. A lot goes on that we knew nothing about. We rarely know if we impacted a person unless they specifically tell us, which doesn’t always happen. But God sees what we don’t. He sees how our words and actions affect others and will affect them in the future. 

God is the perfect guide, because he sees the entire road. We can barely see the pebble right in front of us… and, maybe, we can’t always see that, either. But God does. We can trust him. 

If God calls you to do something, he will make a way. He will make it work. There will be times you want to give up, but remind yourself of this truth: God called you here, and he didn’t call you to fail. He is with you, for you, and will get you through this. And one day, though it may not be until we reach heaven’s shore, we will see the results of our ministries. At that moment we’ll realize that God knew what he was doing all along. 

No matter how hard it gets, God’s got this. God’s got you. So don’t give up. 

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)