Is It Over?

I have heard it said that, “It is not over until the fat lady sings.”  Is this true?  This is the way I think about it, it is not over until the Lord says it is over.  

Have you ever been so discouraged that you just gave up, or maybe you are on the verge of giving up?  It is easy to think about giving up when you feel like you’re beating your head against the wall, so to speak, but nothing seems to be changing.  There are times when no matter what you try to accomplish nothing seems to go right.  There are different reasons why things happen, but sometimes it is just life.  I think that we all have times when we are tempted to throw in the towel, so to speak, and just give up and walk away, I have been there and done that.  

I remember being in three different ministries at the same time and due to some unforeseen incidences I gave up and walked away very discouraged.  I have regretted that decision ever since it happened.  We make choices at times that we may regret for a long period of time or maybe forever.  After that circumstance took place I felt like there was nothing left for me to do, it was pretty much over but I was wrong.  I was in another ministry for a while until that was shut down and now I write blogs to encourage and bless whoever will read them.  I know what it feels like to be discouraged and give up.  If anyone reading this has been there or are pretty close to making that decision, please stop and pray about it and reconsider what you are about to do.

Think about Judas and Peter; Judas betrayed Jesus and he must have felt like it was all over so went out and hung himself, if he would have repented there could have been restoration and forgiveness but he made the wrong choice and it cost him everything.  Peter denied the Lord three times even with cursing, he must have thought it was all over also but instead of killing himself, he repented and he found restoration and forgiveness. Like I said before, it is not over until the Lord says it is over. If we didn’t know the end of the story with Peter we would have thought it was over for him but it was the beginning of a victorious life.  

I am sure when Lazarus died Mary, Martha and everyone else thought it was all over but it wasn’t; when Jesus came on the scene, He said, “Lazarus come forth,” and he came out of the tomb alive and well.  The Lord can and does perform the impossible so it is not over until He says it is over.  Sometimes we think things are over and we make the wrong choices letting our flesh dictate what choice we should make, many times wishing we would have made a different choice.

Let me give you one more example about a King that thought it was all over.  The story is found in Isaiah 38:1-8, verse 1 says, “In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death.  And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.”  If you heard these words wouldn’t you think it was all over?  Remember when the prophet Isaiah spoke it was truth and Hezekiah knew it well so he must have thought it was all over.  But even in that state of mind he didn’t give up.  He could have gotten very angry and cursed God and died but he didn’t.  

He said this in verses 2-3, “Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the LORD, and said, ‘Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.’  And Hezekiah wept bitterly.”  Here is what I call true repentance, something that will get the Lord’s attention.  It goes on to say this in verses 4-5, “And the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, saying, ‘Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: ‘I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years.’” 

Now you have read two examples of repentance; and the difference that it made in those two lives.  Peter and King Hezekiah both had the answer to their dilemma and both made the right choice, unlike Judas.  There are times when we make wrong choices but that doesn’t mean it is all over.  If you need to repent, then repent, if not, you need to pray and trust God and keep going and not give up.  I hope this was a help and be an encouragement to you.  God bless and have a great day!!