Pressing on is a must, but it’s not always pretty! If it was easy, it wouldn’t be pressing on. It would be smooth sailing. No adversities, disappointments, delays, distractions, hiccups, outright destructive detours, etc. When you are pressing on simple tasks, at times, morph into hurricane proportions, which seemingly end as fruitless. Daily doses of anguish, heartache, and unanswered prayers raise fresh waves of uncertainty about the past, present, and future. The pain is real, and dead ends appear endless. And yet, that is when pressing on comes into play. Oh, just when you’ve had enough and you’re tired, frustrated, confused, and bruised, you press on.
Pressing on is a daily endeavor. Some days appear to be more productive than others, but each and every day is part of the pressing on process.
The woman with the issue of blood pressed on for 12 long years, searching for a cure. But she pressed until she came to the place of understanding Jesus was her answer. She pushed through the crowd and her pain to receive her healing.
Naomi and Ruth’s lives also exhibit in glaring detail what pressing on looked like for them on a daily basis. They survived the death of their beloved family members, but for a long time, they weren’t at the stage of thriving. They couldn’t stay where they were, as reality forced them to press on.
Yes, it’s so easy to say just press on, but these examples of pressing on speak to those in survival mode and hurting! And God knew all three women would walk on while hurting. Sometimes, circumstances are the mechanisms used to force us to press on.
Every day, they made painful strides. Yes, each woman was understandably a mess, but they pressed on. The day would come when they would finally embrace the light of an emotionally, physically, and spiritually new day, all because they pressed on.
Pressing on isn’t a cruel joke, a waste of time or effort. God has your much-needed relief prepared for you. I know it’s not easy, but press on. It will be worth it in the end.
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14 KJV)
43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, 44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of bloodstanched . 45 And Jesus said , Who touched me? When all denied , Peter and they that were with him said , Master,the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 46 And Jesus said , Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. 48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace. (Luke 8:43-48 KJV)
Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.2 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.3 And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.4 And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.5 And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.6 Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread.7 Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.9 The Lord grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?12 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;13 Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her19 So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.21 I went out full and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lordhath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest. Ruth 1:1-22 (KJV)
In the Master’s Service,
Author/Pastor Michele D Robertson
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Matthew 11:28-29 (KJV)