When Do We Give Up?

Acts 19:8-10

English Standard Version (ESV)

⁸ And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them  about the kingdom of God. ⁹  But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus.  ¹⁰ This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

When do we give up and move on?  Sometimes you can share the word of God with people and they never seem to “get it”.  Do you keep after them or do you finally just give up on them?  Paul spent three months in the Synagogue trying to convince the Jews but in Thessalonica he only spent 3 Sabbath days.  It wasn’t so much the time frame but rather the attitudes of the Jews that caused Paul to leave.  They became jealous in Thessalonica and in Ephesus they became stubborn and spoke evil of his teachings, so he left and took his disciples with him.  It was not a time frame but rather the attitude of those he was trying to minister to.  He did however continue preaching the gospel to those who did believe but found another place to do so. 

As we look at verse 10 we see that his entire reason for ministering was so that everyone in Asia would hear the word of the Lord.  He wasn’t just ministering to the Jews but the Gentiles as well.  Paul’s location allowed him to speak while others spread the words that he had spoken and as a result many came to know the Lord.

When do we give up?  When others hinder us from spreading the Gospel as Christ as we have been called to do.

 As you seek Him may you find Him to be a source of encouragement for you.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila