Day 2110 of the 7 Day Bible verse challenge.

Job 8:7 NIV

We often judge the outcome by how something starts. If it starts off rough then we assume that it's going to stay that way. If it begins slowly then we figure it's going to take forever. If it's hard then we assume it's going to stay hard. But assumptions aren't really the best things to lean on. Often what we assume turns out to be completely wrong. So we ought to stop jumping to conclusions and just see where and how things go.

It's easy to get discouraged whenever we set out to do something. Say you've finally made up your mind to make that change you've been thinking of making. Or maybe you decided to walk away from something that you know isn't right for you. Perhaps you want to pick up a new hobby. Whatever the case may be, don't set yourself up for failure and disappointment from the start.

We get it in our minds that things are going to go a certain way. We sit around brainstorming how it's all going to line up just right, go smoothly, and be easier than we imagined. We picture ourselves at the finish line before we even get started. You've heard of putting the cart before the horse? That's the dangerous part of goals and the lofty visions we have sometimes. We picture this perfect scenario, and inevitably it never goes that way.

Just slow down. Be patient. I know it's no fun to have to wait. I know that the process is rarely as picture perfect as we thought it would be. I know that sometimes things just don't go right from the get go. But that never means that we should give up and turn back around. If we quit every time something doesn't go just right or things don't progress quick enough then we're never going to finish anything!

It doesn't matter how things look at first. Doesn't even matter how they go in the middle. What matters is that we keep going no matter what. Not allowing ourselves to get discouraged will help us always keep going even when it seems like we're getting nowhere. None of us know how anything in life is going to go. But it doesn't matter! If God put it on our hearts to do something, change something, then you can believe He will help us make it happen.

Just remember that it's a process. It takes time. Things will shift and change along the way. We'll learn, grow, reevaluate priorities, and figure things out as we go. Whatever you do, just keep going. It might not look great now, but things change in an instant all the time. Do not miss out on the amazing results that await you if you simply don't give up. They will help you see that it was worth all the effort and determination!