Numbers 14:3
Do you ever start something, then wish you could say, “Never mind”?
A couple months ago I agreed to take on the VBS project for our El Salvador mission trip this summer. I didn’t make the decision lightly, yet still I continue to have moments of, “What have I gotten myself into?”
Especially when setbacks come. And setbacks always come.
It’s those times in the middle when the temptation to turn back has to be weighed carefully. Would it really be advantageous to turn back instead of going forward?
So when I read this quote from The Pilgrim’s Progress last week, it spoke to me. Christian was asking the same question:
Sometimes he had half a thought to go back; then again he thought he might be half way through the valley; he remembered also how he had already vanquished many a danger, and that the danger of going back might be much more than for to go forward; so he resolved to go on.
He resolved to go on.
I will, too. I remind myself: God’s grace is bigger than any setbacks. Bigger than the doubts. Bigger than my abilities.
I don’t want to be like the Hebrews wanting to turn back to Egypt instead of going forward into Canaan.
So I’ll look back only to remember how far I’ve already come. And to see how much God has already rescued me from.
I do want to go to El Salvador, no doubt about that—God’s already given the grace for that. Now I need to trust he will continue giving grace for the work ahead.
I won’t go back to Egypt. I resolve to go on.
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Do you ever want to quit halfway through? How do you get over it?
