Don’t Lose Heart

“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” (Galatians 6:9 NKJ)

It’s so easy to begin an exciting new project or season of life with enthusiasm, isn’t it? We wear broad smiles as we work passionately to get things off the ground. Then, just as easily those smiles can fade as we encounter a multitude of frustrating obstacles. Bone-tired weariness creeps in. We begin to lose heart as we near the finish line. If we’re not extremely careful, our desire to give up can grow stronger and stronger until we actually do.

In the New International Version (NIV), the Christian Standard Bible (CSB), and the New Living Translation (NLT), the phrase “lose heart” in Galatians 6:9 is translated “give up”. In Paul’s day, his readers would have associated the phrase “lose heart” with the mix of fear and weariness a woman experiences during labor. That resonated with me on several levels.

My youngest celebrated his 38th birthday last week, so it’s been a while since I was pregnant. But, some things can’t and shouldn’t be forgotten. Can’t, because the life-changing highs and lows of pregnancy engrave themselves into our brains. Shouldn’t, because without remembering the long grueling process, we can be tempted to tell our strong-willed little people, “I brought you into this world, and I can take you out!” Of course, I know you would never say such a thing!  

During that first trimester of a much-wanted pregnancy a woman eagerly fast-forwards her life to that moment when her little bundle of joy gets placed in her arms. Then, she diligently plans and prepares for the arrival. She looks forward to everyone noticing her baby bump. She studies the reasons for all the negative effects she has to endure. She accepts the nausea, tiredness, and moodiness as uncomfortable parts of a most beautiful process.

The next three months alter not only the shape of her belly, but the rest of her body as well. Her entire wardrobe gets a makeover. Even her shoes grow tighter and tighter. Simple things like getting up in the middle of the night for a bathroom visit and tying her own shoes give her the same sense of accomplishment as a sweat-slinging workout at the gym. Soon, the new wears off, and she’s ready to get the show on the road. Now, the process seems more like work.

At some point during the third trimester, the mother-to-be has the unsettling thought,“This baby’s going to come out of here!” She grows more anxious about the labor and delivery process. She keeps tabs on all of her people’s whereabouts as the due date gets closer. She longs for the good old days when she could fit into her jeans, sit through an entire church service without visiting the ladies’ room, sleep on her stomach, and not shriek in horror when she stepped on the scales. She loses heart and is ready for the painful part of the process to become a distant memory. 

But then! With just one look at that beautiful little face, she knows it was all worth it. Every nauseous morning. Every pound. Every backache. Every tear. Every swollen body part. All it took was just one look.

In what trimester are you when it comes to your faithful endurance? Are you eager, tired, or completely exhausted?

If you’ve just begun a new project or a new ministry please know that others benefit from witnessing your enthusiasm and unbridled passion. We can all use an inspiring breath of fresh air. Let us see Jesus living in you.

If you find yourself being swamped with doubts about your purpose or your abilities, go back and introduce yourself to your younger you. Remember how and why you started in the first place. Appreciate how far you’ve come. Be thankful for the obstacles that taught you new things. Be glad God helped you sling some sweat to make you stronger than you thought you could be. Let others see Jesus at work in you.

If you’ve been on the Christian road of faith for decades, don’t lose heart. Finish strong! You may not be able to physically labor like you used to. But, oh the knowledge you’ve picked up along the way! You’ve fallen down and successfully gotten back up so many times that those behind you see they don’t have to fear the future. Your tight-fitting religion has been exchanged for a wardrobe of free-flowing garments of love, grace, and mercy. You’ve learned how to use the wise resourcefulness God gave you instead of your own brawny muscle. Wisdom isn’t given to those who give up. It’s given to those who have messed up and then stood up. Let hope grow with every difficult moment to create a lifetime of faith that gives birth to a legacy of love. Let others see your faithfulness fully alive and resting in Jesus.

No matter the stage you find yourself in, know that resting every night in the arms of Jesus makes it all worth it. He understands every ache, doubt, fear, insecurity, and frustration. With our eyes on Him, let us run with perseverance the race set before us!

“Since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”  
(Hebrews 12:1-2a)

Posted in
IMG_7385

Donna Jackson

More Than We Seem

By Donna Jackson | March 28, 2023 |

Blog-inspiring analogies and metaphors manifest themselves in all sorts of ways – even in Winnie the Pooh movies. As my grandson and I sat snacking and watching Pooh’s Great Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin, I witnessed an incredible comparison too good to ignore. As the movie opens, it is the last golden day of…

Things to Do, Places to Go

By Donna Jackson | March 21, 2023 |

We began 2023 talking about “Beginnings”. Then in February, we explored “Relationships”. You might not have realized that a fresh Wind blew in two weeks ago. March has been centered on the work of the Holy Spirit. Before we go any further, perhaps it would be a good idea for you to ask yourself, “How…

Choices Lead Feelings Follow

By Donna Jackson | March 14, 2023

What snapshots make it into your photo albums? Maybe yours are filled with weddings, births, parties, reunions, and gatherings of all kinds. There are smiling people and places we don’t want to forget, so we capture single, fleeting moments in time and file them away for safekeeping. By recalling the joyful moments, we vicariously recapture…

Reverse the Curse

By Donna Jackson | March 7, 2023

I walked off the stage Saturday, and I just knew. The curse had been supernaturally reversed!  Just five years earlier, Freedom for the Good Little Church Girl, the book that kept my computer hot for months,emerged from the womb of the printing press. Fragrant, black ink splashed crisp, clean pages with a scent of newness.…

The Jesus Revolution and Me

By Donna Jackson | February 28, 2023

A spark from the Jesus Revolution drifted across the country in the early 70’s and ignited something in my heart. I had no idea it would take another 50 years to fan that flickering ember into a roaring flame. I became a Christian at 13 in a decade when fringed vests, love beads, bell bottoms,…

It’s a Process!

By Donna Jackson | February 21, 2023

Learning of any kind is a process.  Before Ron and I married, he had taken enough guitar lessons to enable him to strum a few chords. But then, life happened. Kids. Work. Church. Like most families, we lived on the fast track. All the while, his guitar quietly sat in the closet – until recently!…

Remarkable Relationships

By Donna Jackson | February 14, 2023

Happy Valentines Day! Relationships take center stage this month on Perfection Road. Last week, messy relationships made an about-face. This week, I handed the pen to my 13-year-old grandson Jackson. His greatest gift is seeing what others often miss. I asked him to describe the impact his two adopted brothers make on his family, and…

Can Your Messy Relationship Make an About-face?

By Donna Jackson | February 7, 2023

Messy relationships happen. Sometimes, our romantic relationships slip and slide into the mud. Other times, our friends singe our patience and frustrate us to no end. Often, negative co-workers blow putrid smoke all over us. And, unfortunately, messy most often happens in our extended families. No matter the type of relationship, an old Eagles song…

A Beginning That Has No End

By Donna Jackson | January 31, 2023

In the late 70’s, I thought I could learn to play the guitar like Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris, and Bonnie Raitt. However, unlike Joni, Emmylou, and Bonnie, at three-years-old I lost the end of my left index finger. I had an unfortunate mishap with our front door. Since all of the guitar chords are pressed…

Constantly Beginning Again

By Donna Jackson | January 25, 2023

Maybe you remember that 80’s TV show “The A-Team”. It depicted the antics of a wrongly-accused special forces squad who escaped military prison to become a team of do-good vigilantes. Every week, when victory was in sight, their fearless leader Hannibal would find the time to smile and declare, “I love it when a plan…