A few weeks ago, I took a short hike with my son, Bradley, to Twin Falls in Sunset, South Carolina. This was not my first trip there. This time, like the last trip, I was intrigued by this tree growing along the side of the path. The tree sits on top of a sizable rock with roots draped over the rock reaching up from the soil. My mind short circuits trying to comprehend how roots from different sides of this rock could grow and join in the middle to form a perfect tree. The only explanation I could come up with is because God wanted them to.

This marvel reminded me how hard some things in life are, how impossible they seem. There is hard, and then there is unachievable. Unachievable, yet here stands the miracle right in front of you.

When I think about this crazy year 2020, my mind does a bit more of that short circuiting I mentioned. 2019 seems light years ago at this point, doesn’t it? What happened to normalcy? 

You know just being able to walk into a store and smile at the cashier and not have masks on and plexiglass between you? You remember, running up to friends you haven’t seen in a while and throwing your arms around them? 2020 is the year the world has all but shut down, making normal life impossible. We need relationships with other people in the midst of it all. 

2020 is the year the country abrupted with a hate storm. A senseless killing happened in May. Months later many of our major cities are still war zones of civil unrest. First responders were cheered in April for their heroism with Covid. Now many are being condemned as racists and murderers. Hurt and anger that runs so deep in our country are now bubbling to the surface. The country needs healing, and to come together as one race—the human race.

Our country has never been more politically divided. 2020 is an election year. We are in a battle for the soul of our nation. Neighbor against neighbor. Brother against brother.  America needs reconciliation and to turn back to the principles it was once founded on—God.

When the world turns upside down, it can be easiest to just sit down and give up. It’s enough to make you want to crawl into a hole, and pull the hole in after you. We cannot do that. As Christians, we have to set the example. We are called to be the hands and feet of Christ. Love is the answer. Jesus is the Answer. People are hurting. They need the love that can only be found in Him. If not us, who is going to show them that love?  Who is going to share the truth?

We are often afraid that we do not have the tools we need to face or conquer the spiritual, physical, or emotional giants in our lives. But God has given us all we need. We just have to trust in the gifts and talents He has given to us. God never wastes any trial that we encounter. He uses the struggle to make us stronger. He is working a plan. We have to do our part.

I am reminded of the story of little David from 1 Samuel 17. King Saul gave David his armor and sword that were too cumbersome for him. David removed them and collected 5 smooth stones from the stream, and placed them in his pack. He headed out with his sling, the stones, his shepherd’s pack and his staff to face Goliath, the 9 1/2-foot Philistine. Here is where the short circuiting that defies common sense starts to happen. David was a little boy. Goliath was a giant. Oh, to have the courage of little David.

David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!” 1 Samuel 17:45-47

Like that tree along the path that day, the miracle of David defeating Goliath happened because God wanted it to. You see all we have to do is try. The obedience is our part, the victory is God’s part. But we must never give up. It is always better to try and fail, than to fail to try. We cannot just stop living. We have to figure out a way to stay connected, to have relationships, to attend church, to go to work, to have school, to live life, to show love to others, to be used to heal hurts, to bridge the gap, to show the world the Answer—Jesus.

Never give up. Let’s do our part. I promise He has the rest covered.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Galatians 6:9

Dear Lord: Thank You that You never give up on us. Help us to keep our hearts and our eyes focused on You so that we don’t give up either. Give us courage like little David to not be afraid, but to be Your hands and feet and to do what You call us to do. Please bring a revival and healing to our nation and the world that comes through the repentance of Your church. We need forgiveness, love, grace, and mercy that can only be found in Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen  

Please share your thoughts and experiences to encourage our readers. Thank you for reading and sharing my blogpost today.

May God encourage your heart today to never give up. He reminds us in His Word that He did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.  May we be found faithful. Above all, He is faithful!