“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9 (ESV)
The first step of faith gets the applause. People celebrate the dramatic leap, the courageous beginning, the bold declaration. But it’s the thousandth step when no one is watching, when the excitement has faded, when the road stretches endlessly ahead that proves whether faith is real.
After Guyana, God called me to Albania. I thought I understood faith-based living. I had taken the first step. I had seen God provide. Surely the hardest part was behind me.
I had no idea!
For twenty-one years, I walked this road in Albania not just trusting God for a single miraculous provision, but trusting Him again and again, month after month, season after season, year after year. Twenty-one years of faith is twenty-one years of opportunities to quit.
There were seasons when financial support dropped unexpectedly. Seasons when the future looked desperately uncertain. Seasons when easier, more comfortable paths beckoned loudly. Each time, the same question returned with fresh intensity: Will you keep trusting? Will you stay the course?
Paul’s words became my lifeline: “…let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” The promise is clear: a harvest is coming. But notice the condition: if we do not give up. The harvest isn’t given to those who start well; it’s given to those who finish.
Faith isn’t just about starting boldly; it’s about staying faithfully.
Many begin the race with enthusiasm. Few cross the finish line. The difference isn’t superior talent or greater resources; it’s perseverance. It’s choosing, on the hardest days when everything screams “quit,” to trust the same God you trusted on day one.
Albania taught me that faith is daily bread, not a one-time meal. It’s not one dramatic mountain-top decision; it’s a thousand small valley choices. Every month, I chose to believe God would provide. Every setback, I chose to trust His timing. Every time I had a doubt, I chose His promises over my fears.
And He never failed. Not once in twenty-one years. Not a single month went by without provision.
Friends, your faith is being tested not to break you, but to build you. The long road isn’t punishment, it’s preparation. Every year of consistent trusting deepens your roots for the storms that lie ahead. Don’t give up. The harvest is coming for those who endure.
Prayer
Father, strengthen me for the long road of faith. When weariness settles into my bones, renew my trust in You. When quitting seems like the easier path, remind me of Your unwavering faithfulness through every season I’ve already walked. I refuse to give up. I will trust You today, tomorrow, and until the very end, Lord. Give me grace to persevere. Amen.
Read: Hebrews 10:36; James 1:12
Bible Reading Guide: Psalm 29; Mark 11:27-33; Mark 12:1-12; Leviticus 9; Leviticus 10