I'M IN THIS FOR THE LONG HAUL! WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO TURN YOU AWAY FROM GOD?
When Life Hurts, Prayers Go Unanswered, and Faith Is Tested—Will You Still Serve the Lord?
Pilgrim Outreach Ministries International | A Personal Declaration of Faith
Scriptural Foundation: 2 Chronicles 16:9 (KJV)
"For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him..."
TO THOSE WHO HAVE TURNED THEIR BACKS ON GOD...
I want to speak to someone today.
Perhaps you're reading this message right now.
You once walked faithfully with the Lord.
You attended church. You prayed. You read your Bible. You sang the songs of Zion. You believed His promises. You testified of His goodness.
But somewhere along life's journey, something happened.
Maybe it was an unanswered prayer.
Maybe someone you loved died, and you couldn't understand why God didn't intervene.
Perhaps you were betrayed by someone you trusted.
Maybe a church hurt you.
Perhaps you lost your job, your home, your marriage, your health, or everything you spent years building.
And somewhere in the middle of your pain, you began asking questions.
"LORD, WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST?"
"Why didn't You answer my prayer?"
"Why did You allow this to happen?"
"After everything I've done for You, why am I going through this?"
And eventually, for some, the questions became disappointment.
The disappointment became resentment.
The resentment became distance.
And the distance became a decision.
"I'M DONE WITH GOD!"
If that's where you are today, I want you to hear me carefully.
I'm not writing to condemn you.
I'm not writing to ridicule your pain.
And I'm certainly not pretending that I understand everything you've experienced.
But I do want to ask you something.
ARE YOU ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN YOU WANT TO WALK AWAY FROM THE ONE WHO HAS NEVER WALKED AWAY FROM YOU?
GOD IS STILL LOOKING FOR FAITHFUL HEARTS!
Our foundational Scripture, 2 Chronicles 16:9, contains an extraordinary declaration.
"For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth..."
Think about that!
God is not indifferent to what is happening in your life.
He is not unaware of your struggles.
He has not somehow misplaced your address or forgotten your name.
The passage tells us that He searches throughout the earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.
But we must also understand the context.
These words were spoken to King Asa, a man who had previously experienced God's deliverance but later chose to depend upon human alliances rather than trust the Lord.
Asa had a history with God.
He knew what God could do.
Yet, when another crisis arose, he turned elsewhere for security.
Does that sound familiar?
Sometimes our greatest spiritual struggles come not because we've never experienced God's faithfulness, but because we forget His faithfulness when the next crisis arrives.
DON'T ALLOW YOUR PRESENT TROUBLE TO ERASE YOUR MEMORY OF GOD'S PAST GOODNESS!
YES, YOU HAVE A CHOICE!
Now, I know that what I'm about to say may generate some theological discussion.
And that's fine.
There has been a longstanding debate within Christianity concerning eternal security.
Some believe that once a person is genuinely saved, that salvation can never be lost.
Others believe that a believer can deliberately turn away from faith and ultimately reject the salvation once embraced.
I'm not going to turn this message into a theological debate over "once saved, always saved."
That is not my purpose today.
But I will tell you where I stand.
YOU RESPONDED TO GOD'S INVITATION BY FAITH, AND I BELIEVE YOU CAN ALSO CHOOSE TO TURN AWAY FROM HIM.
I believe God calls us to continue in faith, obedience, and a living relationship with Jesus Christ.
I also believe He is merciful, patient, and unwilling to treat our spiritual condition casually.
He calls.
He corrects.
He convicts.
He sends His Word.
He uses people, circumstances, and the ministry of the Holy Spirit to draw us back to Himself.
But I do not believe we should presume upon His grace while deliberately choosing a life of rebellion.
GOD'S LOVE IS NOT AN INVITATION TO TREAT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM AS SOMETHING DISPOSABLE!
And let me add this.
If you have wandered away, the fact that you are reading this message may be an opportunity to reconsider where you stand.
Not because I know your heart.
I don't.
But because the invitation to return to God is worth taking seriously.
WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO TURN YOU AWAY FROM GOD?
Now, allow me to make this personal.
I've been walking with Jesus Christ for more than five decades.
I surrendered my life to Him as a young teenager in May 1973.
And since that time, I've experienced some wonderful victories.
I've also experienced disappointments, setbacks, losses, struggles, and circumstances I would never have chosen for myself.
There have been prayers I desperately wanted God to answer differently.
There have been doors that closed when I thought they should have opened.
There have been times when I couldn't understand what God was doing.
And there have been seasons when all I could do was keep trusting Him.
But I want to make something abundantly clear.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE MORE THAN AN UNANSWERED PRAYER TO TURN ME AWAY FROM GOD!
More than a disappointment.
More than a rejection.
More than a financial setback.
More than the loss of friends.
More than sickness.
More than having my heart broken.
More than going without the things I need.
More than being misunderstood, criticized, or abandoned by people.
More than the death of someone I dearly love.
And more than the uncertainties of tomorrow.
Now, please don't misunderstand me.
I AM NOT SAYING THESE THINGS DON'T HURT!
They do.
Some of them hurt terribly.
Some losses leave scars that remain with us for the rest of our lives.
And I am not suggesting that genuine Christians never struggle, question, weep, or experience moments of spiritual weakness.
Even strong believers sometimes cry out, "Lord, I don't understand!"
But there's a difference between struggling with God and deciding to abandon Him.
I MAY NOT UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING GOD ALLOWS, BUT I REFUSE TO MAKE MY LIMITED UNDERSTANDING THE FINAL MEASURE OF HIS FAITHFULNESS!
Why?
Because I have a history with Him.
And He has never failed to remain faithful to His character.
I'M NOT SERVING GOD JUST FOR WHAT HE CAN GIVE ME!
Let me ask you something.
If God never gave you another material blessing, would you still serve Him?
If your bank account never reached the amount you desired, would He still be worthy of your worship?
If your healing didn't come when you expected it, would you still trust Him?
If the door you prayed would open remained closed, would you still believe He was good?
And if the very thing you feared most became a reality, would you still cling to His promises?
These are not easy questions.
But they are necessary ones.
Because sooner or later, every believer must confront a fundamental issue.
AM I SERVING GOD BECAUSE OF WHO HE IS—OR ONLY BECAUSE OF WHAT I HOPE HE WILL DO FOR ME?
Consider the three Hebrew young men in Daniel chapter 3.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood before a king who threatened to throw them into a burning fiery furnace.
They believed God was able to deliver them.
But then they made one of the most remarkable declarations of faith recorded in Scripture.
Daniel 3:18 (KJV):
"But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods..."
BUT IF NOT!
Those three words are powerful!
They were saying, in effect:
God can deliver us.
We believe He is able.
But even if He does not deliver us in the way we desire, we will not bow.
THAT IS THE KIND OF FAITH I WANT TO HAVE!
Not a faith that only survives when everything goes right.
But a faith that remains anchored when everything seems to go wrong.
REMEMBER JOB!
If anyone had reason to question his circumstances, surely Job did.
He lost his possessions.
He lost his children.
His health deteriorated.
His friends misunderstood him.
And his suffering became so severe that he struggled to understand why he had been born.
Yet, in Job 13:15, he declared:
"Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him..."
Now, that's faith!
Not because Job never struggled.
He did.
Not because Job understood everything.
He didn't.
And not because Job always responded perfectly.
He didn't.
But because, even in the depths of his suffering, he continued wrestling with the reality of God rather than simply dismissing Him.
Sometimes faith is not a shout of victory.
Sometimes faith is a tear-stained whisper:
"LORD, I DON'T UNDERSTAND, BUT I'M STILL HERE!"
AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE...
Joshua stood before the people of Israel and presented them with a choice.
They could serve the gods of their ancestors or the gods of the people around them.
Or they could serve the Lord.
And then Joshua made a declaration that has echoed through the centuries.
Joshua 24:15 (KJV):
"But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
I love that!
Joshua wasn't waiting for a public opinion poll.
He wasn't checking which direction the cultural winds were blowing.
He wasn't asking whether serving God would make him popular.
He had made his decision.
AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD!
And today, from the Philippines, I want to make that same declaration.
Not as a boast.
Not because I believe I am incapable of falling.
Not because I consider myself spiritually superior to anyone else.
And certainly not because I can remain faithful through my own strength.
I cannot.
BUT BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I'VE MADE MY DECISION!
I intend to serve Him when things are going well.
I intend to serve Him when things are difficult.
I intend to serve Him when the ministry has everything it needs.
And I intend to serve Him when the needs are far greater than our available resources.
I intend to serve Him when people support us.
And I intend to serve Him when people misunderstand us.
I intend to serve Him when prayers are answered as I hoped.
And I intend to serve Him when the answers are different from what I expected.
I'M NOT LOOKING FOR AN EXIT RAMP FROM MY RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST!
I'M IN THIS FOR THE LONG HAUL!
TO THE ONE WHO HAS WALKED AWAY...
Before I close, I want to speak once more to the person who has turned away from God.
Perhaps you haven't prayed in months.
Maybe you haven't attended church in years.
Perhaps you've convinced yourself that God doesn't want anything to do with you anymore.
Or maybe you're still angry about something that happened long ago.
Please listen.
You don't have to pretend the hurt wasn't real.
You don't have to manufacture answers to questions you still cannot resolve.
And you don't have to wait until your life is completely together before you begin seeking God again.
Remember the prodigal son in Luke chapter 15.
He walked away from his father's house.
He wasted his inheritance.
He made disastrous decisions.
And eventually, he found himself in circumstances he never imagined.
But when he came to himself and decided to return home, his father welcomed him.
What a beautiful picture of mercy!
YOU MAY HAVE WALKED AWAY FROM GOD, BUT YOU ARE NOT BEYOND THE REACH OF HIS MERCY!
Today could be the day you begin again.
Not by pretending nothing happened.
But by coming honestly before the Lord and saying:
"Father, I have wandered. I have questioned. I have struggled. And perhaps I've even blamed You for things I didn't understand. But I want to come home."
And if you need someone to pray with you, we're here.
Not to judge.
Not to condemn.
But to encourage you to seek the One who loves you.
A PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH THEIR FAITH
Heavenly Father,
Today, I pray for those who have become weary in their walk with You.
Some are hurting.
Some are angry.
Some are disappointed.
Some have experienced losses so devastating that they struggle to understand how You could have allowed them.
And some have quietly walked away from the faith they once embraced.
Father, reveal Your love and mercy to them.
Help them distinguish between the failures of people and the faithfulness of Your character.
Where there is bitterness, bring healing.
Where there is confusion, provide wisdom.
Where there is guilt, reveal the hope of forgiveness through Jesus Christ.
And where there is spiritual weakness, strengthen those who are struggling.
Lord, help all of us remain humble, watchful, and dependent upon Your grace.
May we never become so confident in ourselves that we forget our need for You.
And may our lives declare, not merely with words but through faithful obedience:
"AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD!"
In Jesus' precious name,
Amen.
MY FINAL WORD: I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE!
I've come too far with Jesus to turn around now.
I've seen too much of His goodness.
Experienced too much of His mercy.
Witnessed too much of His faithfulness.
And discovered too much of His love.
There are still things I don't understand.
There are still prayers I'm waiting to see answered.
There are still mountains before me that I don't know how to climb.
And there are still ministry needs here in the Philippines that are far beyond what we can presently accomplish with our available resources.
But none of those things has changed my decision.
I DIDN'T START THIS JOURNEY WITH JESUS BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WOULD ALWAYS BE EASY!
And I'm not going to abandon Him simply because the road becomes difficult.
As the Apostle Paul declared in 2 Timothy 4:7:
"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:"
That's how I want to finish.
Faithful.
Grateful.
Still trusting.
Still serving.
Still loving people.
Still preaching the Gospel.
Still believing that God is able.
UNTIL MY LAST BREATH, MY HEART'S DECLARATION REMAINS:
I'M IN THIS FOR THE LONG HAUL!
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
With love, conviction, and unwavering confidence in God's faithfulness,
James Langston
Senior Pastor | Missionary | Author
Pilgrim Outreach Ministries International (POMI)
Writing from the Philippines
WE'RE HERE TO PRAY WITH YOU!
If you're struggling with your faith, questioning your relationship with God, or simply need someone to listen, please reach out.
We would be honored to pray with you.
And if this message encouraged you, please share it with someone who may be standing at a spiritual crossroads.
YOUR STORY ISN'T OVER. DON'T GIVE UP ON GOD!
Your Feet to the Nations.
Help us help them—one soul at a time.
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