There are moments in the Christian walk when you just want to throw in the towel. Times when everything feels like an uphill battle, and the struggles have been so long and so intense that you feel like you can’t go on.
You know what? I’ve felt that way more than once. And I won’t lie — I feel like that right now. But inside of me, there’s a small flame — sometimes barely there — that whispers:
“Do not fear, I am with you.”
It’s a gentle voice that says: “Don’t give up,” even when everything in me wants to stop fighting.
There are seasons we simply have to walk through, even when we don’t understand them. They feel endless. But it’s often in those exact moments that God is working the most.
Maybe you’ve felt like this too. Maybe you’re feeling this way right now. Often, when we know we’ve failed God, we just want to give up entirely. We feel unworthy, unqualified for what God wants to do in us. And we start asking questions like:
“Lord, why me? What’s the point, if I keep failing You?”
But here’s what I remind myself — and what I want to remind you today:
Your failures do not disqualify you from God’s purpose.
📖 A Lesson From 1 Samuel 12
In 1 Samuel 12, the people of Israel failed God by demanding a king — wanting to be like the other nations. Samuel reminded them of all the Lord had done for them: how He delivered them from Egypt, fed them in the wilderness, guided them with a cloud by day and fire by night, and protected them time and time again.
Still, they wanted to be like everyone else. They asked for a king.
When they realized their mistake, fear gripped them. They thought God would abandon them because of their rebellion. But Samuel didn’t respond with judgment — he offered grace and called them back to the Lord.
“Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless.”
(1 Samuel 12:20–21, NIV)
Even in their failure, Samuel’s message was clear:
You’ve sinned — but don’t run from God. Turn toward Him. Keep serving Him.
This story reminds us that when God’s timeline doesn’t match ours, we’re tempted to take matters into our own hands. We compare ourselves with others. We chase after things that feel like shortcuts. But just like Israel, we discover that nothing else can rescue or satisfy us — only God can.
And even in our mistakes, He doesn’t abandon us. He invites us back.
🔥 The Fire That Won’t Go Out
Every process has a purpose. God doesn’t allow it to break us — He uses it to shape us. To refine us. To reach deep places we’d rather keep hidden. Yes, it’s painful. But it’s part of His divine work in us.
And when we fall repeatedly and feel like we can’t rise again, shame tells us to stop trying. That’s when giving up feels like the only option. But there’s a flame inside of you that can’t be extinguished — because God Himself placed it there.
That fire is what drives you to seek Him, even when you feel like you’re too weak or too far gone.
To be completely honest, that little flame is what’s kept me standing so many times. Even when I felt like it would go out, His mercy and love kept it alive. Because He knows how much I love Him — even when I mess up, even when my heart gets distracted.
🕊 Remember This…
Just like Samuel reminded Israel of everything God had done, I want to remind you of all God has done in your life.
Don’t forget His faithfulness.
Your process won’t last forever.
And sometimes, it’s you who needs to let go of certain things so you can keep walking by faith — not by sight.
God is still working — even when it hurts. Don’t give up.
A Journey to God 
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