Never give up

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

George Mueller of Bristol, England was known for his strong faith in God. He founded an orphanage with a small amount of money and ran it on a shoestring budget, trusting that God would enable him to care for his young charges. His faith was well placed; although there were lean times, George always had enough to put food on the table.

Late in life, a visiting minister asked George if he had ever prayed a prayer that had not been answered. George was a man who paid close attention to details, and his answer reflected the fact. "62 years, 3 months, 5 days and 2 hours have passed since I began to pray that two men might be converted. I have prayed daily for them ever since, but as of yet neither of them shows any sign of turning to God." "Do you expect God to convert them?" the visitor asked. "Certainly," George replied, "Do you think God would lay on His child such a burden for 62 years if He had no purpose for their conversion?"

Not long after George passed away, the minister was back in Bristol preaching. During his sermon, he mentioned the conversation he had had with George Mueller. After church, a lady of the congregation stopped him and shared the following information: "One of those two men, to whom Mr. Mueller referred, was my uncle. He was converted and died a few weeks ago. The other man was brought to Christ in Dublin."

Sharing your faith in Jesus is not always an easy thing to do. Some people politely ask you to leave them alone. Others get angry and accuse you of forcing your beliefs on them. And there are those who make fun of you and what you believe. Encounters like these can be disheartening; it doesn’t take long before you wonder if talking about Jesus is worth the effort.

But George Mueller’s life teaches us two things. First, we should not be quick to give up. God works patiently to win people over, even when the process takes a long time. Second, when someone refuses to listen to us, we can still pray for them. The Bible says that the prayers of a righteous person are powerful and effective (James 5:16). You might not get to see the results of your labor for God while in this life, but never doubt the good that He can accomplish as He works through you.