Don’t Give Up
Followers of Christ can see the importance of perseverance through the story of Job. In the series “Parallels” V1 church NYC campus Pastor Jocelyn Perez used the story of Job to emphasize the character building that believers develop through suffering.
The more you press in, the less likely you are to give up. In the book of Job scripture details how Job, a virtuous man, loses everything due to Satan's instigation. He loses his property, family, and health, and even though his wife urged him to curse God, he refused. The virtuous man maintained his trust in God despite his immense suffering.
Suffering is Not Always Linked to Sin
Job's friends believed his suffering was due to sin and urged him to repent. The righteous man maintained his innocence but also wondered why God would allow such suffering. Sometimes we think we go through hardships due to sin but as we see with Job that is not always the case. Job's suffering is not a direct result of sin but his friends debate these issues until Elihu defends God's providence.
Job's faith remained steadfast despite immense suffering, and Pastor Jocelyn shared her journey of persistence and faith during her son's developmental journey. Her son had developmental delays early in life but has defied all odds and recently graduated 3.70 grade point average. God challenged her to trust Him for her son and she did.
Suffering Develops Character
Reproof and changed behavior are the designed goals of suffering. When one encounters suffering of any kind we are to face it as Romans 5:3 describes: "...We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance.” Pressing in produces character while giving up produces destruction of identity. Believers should press into their faith, especially during difficult times, to build character and find strength.
In the book of Job, his perseverance is highlighted despite his suffering. Trusting God and clinging to faith during suffering, strengthens character and reliance on God. Thousands of years later, here we are still looking to Job’s example on how to trust God in the midst of great suffering.
In examining the Gospel of John we see there is a connection between faith and power, which is why Jesus encourages His followers to press on in faith. Pressing in brings strength and character while giving up leads to weakness. The miraculous events in the Book of John shows Jesus turning water into wine, providing living water, healing the sick, and feeding the 5,000 just to name a few. Jesus fills what is empty and makes it more than enough.
Many times we may not know what God is doing or going to do but when we press on in faith He empowers us by His Holy Spirit. In Isaiah 55:9 God is telling His followers: “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” God may keep His followers wondering what will happen to increase their faith in what could happen in Him. It is in those moments that we learn to cling to Him in faith. Pressing in is where greatness comes!
May the Apostle Paul’s words remain just as true to Christ's followers today as it did to him when he wrote that he would press on as Christ intended.
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
—Philippians 3:12–14
About the Author
Jeannie Ortega Law is a chart-topping singer, evangelist, media personality and author from New York City. She can be reached on social media: @JeannieOrtega or emailed at Info@JeannieO.com
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