GOD’S NOT GIVING UP!

I’ve liked eating all my life and I used to be pretty slim until after my second son was born. That was when I started struggling with my weight. I struggled to find my size at the regular stores I shopped at, and at some point, I got tired of struggling and decided to accept that I was a plus size person (nothing wrong with that by the way). I told my friends that I was officially a plus size and they all laughed and we moved on, but I didn’t find the rest I thought I’d find from making that declaration. Instead I felt like someone who had given up. To make matters worse, I walked into the plus size section of a large store to shop but I still could not find my size! Apparently, I wasn’t big enough to shop at the plus size section too🤣. I decided not to give up on my my desire to lose the weight. I’m not slim yet by the way, but I’m not giving up. I just need to be consistent with the good habits I know. My loved ones love me the way I am but I see their faces light up each time I start a good weight loss habit. We move!

This scenario comes to mind when I look at my relationship with God and the number of times I have apologized to God and promised to do better. I read a scripture recently and I wondered how God keeps coping with our unfaithfulness. I had read several chapters and seen how the children of Israel and their kings kept turning away from God, and then returning to Him when they ran into trouble. The baffling thing is that each time they returned, God forgave them and helped them win their battles. Why? 

“For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach them, and without the Law to instruct them. But whenever they were in trouble and turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him out, they found him.” 2 Chronicles 15:3-4 NLT

When I read this, I wondered in my heart and even wrote down the question in my note that “But why is God like this? Does he not feel like people are playing smart with Him?” 

The Holy Spirit then asked me “So Yinka, are you playing smart with God with all your plenty apologies?” 

I responded – No I’m not. My heart desires to change, it’s just my action that doesn’t correspond somehow. 

The Holy Spirit asked again- “So should He give up on you?”

I responded- “Please No! That will totally take hope out of the picture for me”

And there was my answer… Each time we show up to apologize, we find hope to keep trying and not give up. Like my loved ones who know that I can lose the weight, God knows that we can be transformed, and so He keeps forgiving and giving us hope.

That’s why He is known as the merciful God. It is just His nature to be merciful. He is also known as our loving father because His actions are backed by love and He can see the truest state of our hearts. 

“God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out, his merciful love couldn’t have dried up. They’re created new every morning. How great your faithfulness! I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over). He’s all I’ve got left.” Lamentations 3:22-24 MSG

Halleluyah! As long as we genuinely desire to please God, He will continue to forgive us and give us hope. If our hearts truly desire to please Him, we will find grace to change as we seek Him. He will never give up on us, so we must never give up on the hope of transformation! 

“But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.””Jeremiah 17:10 NLT

He has judged many people simply because of the deceitful state of their hearts and he has forgiven many in ways that seem even unfair simply because their hearts were humble and right before Him.

My post today is a simple reminder that God is not done with you. He will never give up on you. If He commands us to forgive our brothers 70 times 7 in a day, then He can do so much more for anyone who truly seeks Him and desires to please Him. 

Don’t get frustrated because you keep failing, let hope arise in you instead. Seek God as many times as you can and you will find grace to move past this phase of growth! 

Pray with me: Father I thank you because you never give up on me. I thank you because your mercies are new everyday and your grace is available to take me beyond my natural ability. I receive grace today to seek you often. And as I seek you, I believe that I have the strength, and the courage, and the grace to rise above my current struggles in Jesus name. Amen! 

Worship with me: Now I’m alive to tell the story. How I’ve overcome. It’s His goodness and mercy and the power of His blood. I’m so glad that my freedom. Wasn’t based on what I’ve done. The goodness and mercy and the power of the blood!

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