Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him. — Hosea 8:3
Throughout my life, I have heard or witnessed many people making drastic decisions. I have witnessed people making career changes that were surprising. Others have walked away from family, children, marriages, or homes. There are times when these things happen, and I ask myself, what were they thinking? On the outside, things can look like they are going great and well for someone.
Obviously, we are not walking in their shoes. We are not their judge and don’t know the situation that these people are going through. What we do know is that there is guidance in scripture that is applicable to life and these situations. Those situations where you simply feel like throwing in the towel. One of those examples is found here in Hosea.
In these verses, God reminds Israel that they had cast off the thing that was good. In other words, they had rejected all the good things that God had done for them. In turn, they were rejecting God! They decided that their way was better, rejecting the things God had done and placed in their lives. In a sense, Israel was throwing in the towel. They were done.
The challenge is that throwing in the towel does not absolve you from life and its responsibilities. You can try to walk away from everything in your life, but it does not make them disappear. The problems remain, and many times, we end up further away from God.
Life is not easy. There are many temptations, challenges, and difficulties that we will face. In the face that all life may bring, we must remain committed to God. He has brought so much good in our lives, even when we may struggle to see it. When you feel like throwing in the towel, it’s time to put everything in the hands of God. Don’t cast off the good thing.
Across the world, there are Christians that need encouragement and strength that only God’s word can provide. We are focused on helping Christians find encouragement, develop stronger relationships with God, and helping non-Christians come to accept Jesus Christ as Savior. As a non-profit ministry, Another Well Ministries relies on donations to continue our work. You can find out more about us and ways to support us here.
If you enjoy our devotionals, please consider subscribing to receive them daily.