Jesus Didn't Give Up

     I went to Staples tonight to simply get three copies of a manuscript made so some friends could read it and help me with editing. I have put off the editing process for nine months and today it seemed the Lord was saying, "It's time." As I stood there waiting for my copies I watched as the young clerk struggled to unjam the copier time after time. When I finally got the copies, they were out of order with whole chapters missing.
     I took the random stacks and with my husband's help began trying to put them back in order. What was ironic was that a woman had come in before me and was irate at the work someone had done on her copies. She was clearly upset while talking to the manager. I thought smugly to myself, "She seems pretty impatient over some copies. What's the big deal?"
     God has a way of showing me, when I'm being judgmental or smug, how I'm no better, if not worse than others in my own behaviors. So, as the hours ticked by, and we were still there trying to sort out the pages of my book, I realized two things: this was a lesson in patience and this book must be going to have an impact on some one's life. The reason I say that, is that in the past when something simple has become unbelievably difficult, it's because Satan is trying to discourage me from finishing it.      
     It's easy to give up when things get hard and sometimes I even feel justified in doing so. Thanks be to God that Jesus didn't give up when the going got tough or we'd all have a tough go of it, both now and throughout eternity.

Romans 5:3...we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope.