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Feb 01, 2022 18:00pm

Faith Talk: Being Relentless

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(The following is a family devotional guide with suggested questions and scriptures.)

Focus Verse: “When you look for me with all your heart, you will find me.”
Jeremiah 29:13

T-Talk About It Topic

Think about a time in which you gave up in doing something…maybe it was something too hard, too intimidating, or just too much work. Whatever the reason, tell me about it!

Tell me about a time you wanted to give up…BUT YOU DIDN’T. Today’s TALK is about being RELENTLESS. Relentless is a fancy way of saying you didn’t give up at doing something. It means you are bound and determined to do something. For this TALK, we are not just going to talk about about being relentless, but we are going to talk about being relentless in our faith!

A-Anchor to the Bible

In Mark 5, there was a woman who had every reason to give up: she had a bleeding disorder, she had had it for 12 years, and she spent all her money trying to get better (but only worsened instead). Not only that, she was labeled unclean, just like the lepers. This means she couldn’t be in close contact with other people, especially in public.

Let’s just say that life was not good for this woman. She probably felt rejected and lonely. She probably also felt like giving up many times. . . . that is until she heard of a man named Jesus who was known for healing the blind and causing the lame to walk. Instead of thinking, “He won’t help me” she was determined to seek Him with all she had – this meant she had to go into public and be in close contact with others just to find Jesus, for she thought, “If I could just touch his clothes, I will be healed.”

Now, friend, that is faith. She wasn’t going to stop Jesus, talk to Him, or trouble Him for a healing . . . she just knew if she could TOUCH his clothes, she would be healed. So she relentlessly sought him, risking her own life working her way through that crowd. Finally, she found him and she touched his clothes . . . and she was healed immediately.

What if she had given up because it was just plain too hard to find Jesus? What if she had given up if someone said something to her? What if she secretly thought, “Jesus won’t help me.” She would have missed out on a life-changing healing! Instead, she was healed and began a new chapter in life – one that could bring a husband, children, and acceptance.

L-Learn God’s Word

We need the same mentality as this lady: Relentlessly seek Jesus. When we seek Jesus with all our hearts, He promises we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13). When we dig in deeper in our prayer life, in reading His Word, in memorizing His Word, we are seeking Him! And when we do it every day, we are growing relentless in our faith. And when we don’t give up when we don’t see things going our way, we are growing even more relentless in our faith. Not only that, but we will not be disappointed in seeking Jesus. God promises an intervention when we wholeheartedly seek Him. That is one promise we want – that is why Jeremiah 29:13 will be our memory verse for this week!

K-Keep Each Other Accountable

Here are a few ideas to keep everyone in check with this week’s TALK:

Relentless in Habits:

Have each family member share something that they are tempted to give up in doing. Create some positive accountability in that area. For example, if one family member is tempted to give up in dieting or exercising, the other can encourage him/her in that area. Not only that, the family can chip in and help, whether that is working out together or choosing healthier options to eat. Cheer each other on to be relentless in this area.

Relentless in Prayer:

Pray together each night as a family to help guide your people to a relentless prayer life, each night following this simple formula for each family member to pray:

Thank God, Confess Sin, Pray for Others, Pray for Self.

Establishing prayer time for your family can help them not only make it a priority in their lives as they get older, it can also help them grow relentless in praying, even when they feel like giving up in areas they have been praying about. Praying Jeremiah 29:13 would help their prayers have more power: “Lord, help my kids to keep seeking you, even when their eyes tell them to give up. Help me show them how to seek you with all their heart so that they will find you and experience you on a deeper level in their lives.”

Relentless in Memorizing Scripture:

Write this verse somewhere in public in your house; create a system of accountability for everyone to memorize this verse. Whether they say it each day on their way out to school or say it before a meal, keep this verse alive and active in their lives this week! You are helping to knit God’s Word into their hearts – He will use it in their lives, so feed them well. God will bring this verse alive in various ways if you are faithful to challenge your people to memorize it.