Don't Give Up and Don't Give In

Don't Give Up and Don't Give In -- Daily "Lessons on Living" Christian Devotional

Don’t Give Up and Don’t Give In

Some of Andrew Jackson’s boyhood friends just couldn’t understand how he became a famous general and then the president of the United States. They knew of other men who had greater talent but who never made it as far as Andrew did. One of Jackson’s friends said, "Why, Jim Brown, who lived right down the road from Jackson, was not only smarter but he could throw Andy three times out of four in a wrestling match." Another friend responded, "How did there happen to be a fourth time? Didn’t they usually say three times and out?" "Sure, they were supposed to," the man replied, "but not Andy. He would never admit he was beat. Jim finally would get tired, and on the fourth try, Andy would throw him and be the winner. He just wouldn’t quit."

Creative ministry often has the same struggles in a different arena. You write a song you think is great, but the first three people you show it too are not impressed. What do you do? Give up writing? Resolve to keep your music to yourself?

Sometimes rejection means an idea is not good enough. Sometimes the opinion makers and gatekeepers are wrong. It happened to the Beatles. It happened to the writer of "Wind beneath my wings". It happened to Colonel Sanders with his ideas for KFC!

The critical issue is to find out. Ask the rejecters how it could be better. Listen openly and make changes which inmprove your song, or script, or book. Make sure the changes you make are genuine improvements in line with your own artisitc vision.

Then most of all, don't give up. Keep on submitting.