Daily Devotional
Do You Quit Too Soon?
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”
James 1:2-3
July 25, 2024
Ponder This
Years ago, I was playing football. On one play, for the first time in my life, I got the ball and there was no one between me and the goal. It was a thrill. This was my big day. I was running as hard as I could, but I was running out of steam. I saw the goal line, and I thought, “One thing is certain. That guy behind me is not going to catch me before I score.” And I dived over the goal line. I made it! But do you know what? It wasn’t the goal line; it was the five-yard line. I never reached the goal because I quit too soon. Unfortunately, many of us quit too soon.
If you don’t learn to endure, you’re not going to learn much. You’re not going to learn to play the piano if you don’t learn to endure and do the scales. You’re not going to learn Greek if you don’t endure through the Greek verbs. You’re not going to lose weight unless you learn to endure. You’re not going to build character unless you endure. The way that God gives us endurance is by giving us opportunities to endure as we rely on Him.
- When was a time you quit too soon? What happened?
- When was a time you endured? What did you learn?
Practice This
Ask a fellow Christian to share a time of endurance in the faith and the lessons learned through the experience.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
