Life isn’t easy, I’m sure you already know that. It can feel like an emotional roller coaster: some days you’re on top of the world, and other days it seems like everything is falling apart. If you’ve ever thought, “Why is this happening?” or “How can I keep going?”—you’re not alone.
Everyone faces tough days. If someone tells you they don’t—they’re probably not being honest. This doesn’t change who God is. This is just part of the fallen humanity that we live in. But even in the valleys, there is hope. That doesn’t mean it is impossible or an excuse “why” we shouldn’t be persistent to push through it.
And there is power in having a relentless pursuit.
Paul’s Relentless Faith
The Apostle Paul, who wrote much of the New Testament, lived out a relentless pursuit of God despite immense suffering. He declared in Romans 8, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” But he also said in Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” And he didn’t say this from a place of comfort—his life was marked by pain:
“Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes.
Three times I was beaten with rods.
Once I was stoned.
Three times I was shipwrecked…
I have faced danger from rivers, from robbers, from my own people and strangers…
I have been hungry, thirsty, cold, and without shelter.”
(2 Corinthians 11:24–27 NLT)
And yet, Paul still wrote:
“We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.” (Romans 8:37)
His life was the blueprint for what it looks like to keep going when everything tells you to stop. And he didn’t just survive—he thrived in the purpose God gave him.
Quitters Don’t See Miracles
If you’re going to make it through the low seasons, you can’t give up. If you are going to win, you must be persistent and you cannot give up. Quitting is never an option. As Missionary Jeff Mallory once said, “Quitters don’t see miracles.” Victory requires persistence. A relentless, unwavering, steadfast pursuit is what it takes.
Relentless in Prayer
Jesus taught this in Luke 11:5–13 when He told the story of the friend who came knocking at midnight. Though the man didn’t open the door out of friendship, he eventually responded because of shameless persistence.
Luke 11:5-13
“5 Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story:“Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, 6 ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ 7 And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ 8 But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence. 9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.
Relentless in Captivity
What about when you feel stuck—when you’re in a spiritual “time out” or what feels like exile?
In Jeremiah 29, God speaks to the Jewish captives in Babylon. He tells them to build homes, plant gardens, and multiply. In other words—keep living. Keep growing. Even in captivity.
God hadn’t forgotten them. In fact, He gave them this powerful promise:
“For I know the plans I have for you…
plans for good and not for disaster,
to give you a future and a hope.”
(Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)
Their season of hardship wasn’t the end, it was a setup for restoration. And the same is true for you.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Give Up
Relentless pursuit doesn’t mean life gets easier. It means you keep going because you know Who goes with you. Whether you’re in the valley or on the mountaintop, God is there. So don’t stop praying. Don’t stop believing. Don’t stop moving forward.
