Monthly Bible Memory Verse Challenge – Month 13 – Steadfastness (and Guest Devotional)

Guest post by Ruthie Sloan Miller (Pastor’s Wife, Nevada)

Ever feel like quitting something that you know God wants you to be doing? Like Moses when he was leading the Israelites to the Promised Land? Give it time. Moses was used in an incredible way to show God’s mighty power!

Ever feel like you have waited for as long as you can wait for your prayers to be answered? Like Hannah when she longed to have a baby? Give it time. God gave her a beautiful baby boy who served a very important role in the lives of the chosen people of Israel!

Ever been in a situation where you think that there is no solution to your problem? Like Mary and Martha when they waited for Jesus to come to their home and heal Lazarus? Give it time. God allowed Lazarus to die, but worked an amazing miracle when Jesus rose him up from the dead!

Ever feel like you will never be able to change that character flaw that you have battled with for so many years? Like Peter when he was impulsive and would say the first thing that popped into his mind? Give it time. God used Peter to win hundreds to Christ!

Ever feel like God will not fulfill His promise to you? Like Abram and Sarai as they waited for the promised child? Give it time. God showed Himself faithful and gave them Isaac in their old age!

Ever feel like that relationship will never be the same again? Like the father of the Prodigal Son? Give it time. The wandering son came to his senses and ran back to his father’s loving arms!

Give God time to work. Trust God one more time. Just one more day. Just one more hour. Just one more minute. Give your hurts time to heal. Give relationships time to be restored.

Isaiah 40.31 “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

Nothing is too hard for God. Let Him get the glory through everything that He sees fit to allow into our life. Allow His joy to shine through, even during the hard times.

Psalms 40:3 “And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.”

As we learn to wait on the Lord, to give Him time to work, let’s remember that He has waited for us!!

Isaiah 30:18 “And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.”

I love how Steve has reminded me over and over throughout the years: What does God have in store for us if we will just trust Him??…only T.I.M.E. will tell!! That’s the beauty of being faithful, being able to look back and SEE the marvelous work the Lord was doing all along.

Isaiah 64:4 “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.”

When I was in Bible College, Steve gave me a little card that I taped inside of my Bible cover. It has encouraged me many times when things have gotten tough.

~Don’t Quit~
Don’t quit when the tide is lowest,
For it’s just about to turn;
Don’t quit over doubts and questions,
For there’s something you may learn.

Don’t quit when the night is darkest,
For it’s just a while ’til dawn;
Don’t quit when you’ve run the farthest,
For the race is almost won.

Don’t quit when the hill is steepest,
For your goal is almost nigh;
Don’t quit, for you’re not a failure,
Until you fail to try.
-Jill Wolf