This week’s teaching is inspired by the song, Don’t Lose Heart. The song was received on July 25, 1990 and was given to me for friends who had lost a child to miscarriage. Both would-be mother and father were physicians and both wanted another child. They had already been blessed some years earlier with a precious daughter but had a deep desire for other children. It was the circumstances surrounding this loss that inspired the song Don’t Lose Heart.
I can’t begin to imagine the heartache and pain of going through a miscarriage as a would-be parent, but Melinda and I have experienced the heartache and pain of watching two of our children and their spouses going through the loss of 3 precious babies to miscarriage. It was a crushing experience because we were so excited and full of expectancy at the thought of being grandparents. Miscarriage is painful for the entire family but especially so for the expectant parents.
Concerning the couple I wrote the song for, as only God can, He was able to take the heartaches and trials and turn them to good for this couple and use it for His own glory. I am happy to report that these friends were able to adopt other children through the years and are now enjoying the benefits of God’s grace through these precious blessings of life. I encourage you to use this song to encourage others no matter what trial they are facing.
Hebrews 12:1-3 NASB 1 Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let's rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let's run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
God’s grace is the same for all – sufficient. Our hope is the fact that we do not go through anything alone. My prayer is that none of you would lose heart or grow weary in your well-doing.
Isaiah 40:31 NASB 31 Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up [with] wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.
Matthew 11:28 NASB 28 "Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 NASB 9 And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
When I feel like giving up, and there are times when I do feel that way, I have chosen ahead of time that there is only one and one alone that I give up to… And that is Jesus. When I have health issues that caused me to grow weary, I surrender them to Jesus. When I have relational issues that bring me discouragement, I give up to Jesus. We may not have a choice as to our circumstances, but we always have a choice as to how we will respond to them. As a new creation in Christ I always have a choice and I always choose Jesus.
Dennis Jernigan
To hear The Dennis Jernigan Podcast version of this teaching and to listen to the song, Don’t Lose Heart, go to http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/dont-lose-heart/
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