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It’s so easy to just sit back, let go, give up, stop the effort. It’s hard, it’s difficult, I can’t carry on!

Watch little kids. Give them something to do that is a little testing or worse, something they don’t actually want to do.

Very quickly those excuses come: “It’s hard to do”, “I can’t do this”

Sometimes we grown-ups sound way worse. “Lord don’t test me with this” “why do I have to struggle with this” Why am I the only one who must carry on”

Luk 3:12 And tax-collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, Teacher, what shall we do? 13 And he said to them, Continue to do no more than that commanded to you.

We have all been given a specific task, a certain amount of responsibility, nothing more.

The `tax-collectors` had a desire to change and they asked Jesus what is expected of them now that they have been “saved”.

Nothing more than that which you can carry.

God will not expect more from any one of us, if we haven’t been equipped to complete the task.

Heb 12:1 Therefore since we also are surrounded with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily besets us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest you be weary and faint in your minds.

let us lay aside every weight; or burden; every sin, which is a weight and burden to a sensible sinner, and is an hindrance in running the Christian race; not only indwelling sin, but every actual transgression, and therefore to be laid aside; as a burden, it should be laid on Christ; as a sin, it should be abstained from, and put off, with respect to the former conversation: also worldly cares, riches, and honors, when immoderately pursued, are a weight depressing the mind to the earth, and a great hindrance in the work and service of God, and therefore to be laid aside.

Act 27:23 For tonight an angel of God stood beside me, whose I am and whom I serve, 24 saying, Fear not, Paul! You must stand before Caesar. And behold! God has given you all those who sail with you. 25 Therefore, men, be of good cheer, for I believe God, that it will be so, according to the way it was told me.

Paul and his shipmates were caught in a terrible storm and was about to become shipwrecked. Yet Paul encouraged them.

How is that for being optimistic. The boat being pounded by the waves of a violent storm, things are about to go seriously wrong. Some of these men were convinced that they were about to die and here’s this little Hebrew man telling them: “be of good cheer”

Sometimes it is just so difficult, to remain optimistic, to keep the smile on your face, to “hope against all hope”, when all the signs point towards impending doom.

But Paul stood his ground, because he had a Word from God. He knew very well that, notwithstanding all the trials and tribulations, God still had a purpose for him. He still had a task to complete, and nothing would stop him.

When all seems to be breaking apart and when it seems that there is just no way out, we need to protect the Word that has been planted in our hearts. We need to cherish and hold on to the promise of God.

Pro 4:20 My son, listen to my words; bow down your ear to my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart. 22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to all his flesh. 23 Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

When the storms of life rages against us, wanting us to end up shipwrecked, we need to keep our hearts focused on the Word. “Therefore, men, be of good cheer, for I believe God, that it will be so, according to the way it was told me.” Paul believed and so can we.