Don't give up

Don't give up
Help is surely on its way
And don't give up
And the dark is breaking in to day
And just keep on moving through these storms
And soon enough you'll find the door
Just don't give up
Oh, and don't give up

Those are lyrics from a recent Christian song.  Oh, my goodness.   That’s it?  “Don’t give up!  Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh, don’t give up!”  (Repeat, 3X.) 

How is that helpful?  What about those who don’t “find the door”?  What about those for whom the dark isn't “breaking in to day”?  People often die before help arrives.  Life isn't a Hallmark Channel movie.  All stories don’t have a happy ending, not even for Christians.   Not in this life, anyway.  To pretend otherwise is to mock the pain and desperate situations of countless millions of people who live or have lived - and died - with (seemingly) hopeless situations. 

Now, I know I may sound cranky; but I’m really not.  I’m just passionate about this.  It is hard for people who suffer - and they don’t need that kind of warmed-over humanism.  They are tired of cliches.  They need substantive answers (and, by the way, help and compassion, too.)

People need to know – maybe you need to know – that your suffering will not only end some day.  In the end, your suffering will have produced for you a great harvest of blessing.  It may not come in this life; however, you can begin to experience that blessing now: as hope.  Trusting anticipation.  A steadfast belief that it will all have been worth it – big time!  Be faithful and keep trusting in God – and you will find that God repays that patient trust with an enormous bounty. 

OK, so don’t give up!  Don’t give up - because “The LORD will repay each man for his righteousness and his faithfulness.”  (I Sam. l 26:23)