Winston Churchill, late in life, was asked to give the commencement address at his former high school, where he hadn’t made a good impression during his tenure there. He slowly walked to the podium and gave one of the shortest commencement addresses in history. “Never give up! Never, Never, Never, Never, Never." 

To give up is to give in to the thief rather than to embrace the plan that the Good Shepherd has for our life. See John 10:10. The thief wants to diminish our lives while the Good Shepherd wants to bring fulfillment to our lives. But we make the choice as to whether we will embrace diminishment or fulfillment. To stay in the game is to stay where Jesus wants us to be, as players and participants in His divine drama to reach and change the world. To step away is to miss out on the work God prepared for us to do according to Ephesians 2:10-11.

I have noticed a tendency today for people to be deeply involved in ministry and then at some point they say, “I’m done.” Not only do they retire from ministries they have been involved in, but they often retire from church attendance. Some have said to me, I will never go back. I’m done. Ironically, studies show that the single most productive decade of a person’s life is the decade of their seventies, and in many cases those same people have decided that they no longer want to engage in ministry.

Paul was no different. In Philippians 3 he lists his many qualifications from the world’s point of view and then says that the only thing that matters to him is to know Christ Jesus my Lord. In fact, he says, I consider everything else garbage that I may gain Christ and be found in Him. And then he pens these amazing words. Remember that he is writing at the end of his life and ministry that has seen amazing spiritual results, and which included deep physical danger and trials. The litany of things that he endured is long. If anyone had reason to sit back and enjoy a respite from God’s work, he did. But no. Listen to his words found in Philippians 3:12-14.

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

That is Paul’s version of Winston Churchill’s speech, Never Give Up. “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Not only was Paul not going to give up but he was moving forward with all his might and energy to complete the work that God had called him to. He was relentless. He was committed. He had resolved. He was not going to give up. 

Why do people give up and drop out? I think there are several reasons. First, we get tired. We get tired because we are often pressed by our local church to serve, serve, serve. So we do. Until we lose our energy and we say, “I’m done.” Now don’t get me wrong. Every one of us ought to be a participant in our local congregation. But, when we substitute service and sacrifice for inner transformation and life change we will burn out, and many do. Our activity has become a substitute for the inner work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and that won’t sustain us. 

This was the discussion Jesus had with Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42. “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Second, we misunderstand the nature of service and ministry. It is not just about doing things. It is about understanding how God has gifted and wired us, and the part that He wants us to play in His Kingdom work. Ephesians 2:10 says it well. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

God has special work for you and for me. He created us for that and when we join Him, we feel His divine smile and amen on our life. If we are in our lane we don’t get overly tired because it is not about activity but about joining Him and partnering with Him, and that is an amazing journey. This is part of what Jesus meant when He said that He came to give us life and life abundant. It is life lived in Him, and it is life lived for Him, and it is life lived in service to Him. 

The most joyful Christians I know are fully engaged in their work for Jesus. They are joyful because they are exactly where God wants them to be. To have an eternal purpose in life is one of the great gifts God gives us, if we will take it. Those who do find great joy in the journey. Those who don’t lose out on a great deal of joy.

Never give up. Never, Never, Never, Never, Never… until you see Jesus face to face.

Father, Help me to find my lane of service for you. Help me to never substitute activity for the work you want to do in my life. And give me resolve to go the distance until I see you face to face. Amen.