The Bible encourages us to fight the good fight of faith without wavering, looking unto Jesus who didn't stop until He fulfilled all that God had sent Him to do. While it's not wrong to take it slow and take a rest from ministry once in a while, giving up the pursuit of God is wrong – but sadly many Christians do it.
"Backsliding," or returning to one's former life prior to salvation, should never be an option to any Christian who genuinely trusts in Christ for salvation. Here are some reasons why.
1. God Will Sustain Us
Giving up the pursuit of God must never be in the list of options for a Christian. It's okay to take a break from serving in ministry for the purpose of resting in God and seeking Him, but it's not okay to quit fighting the good fight and return to the old life. God promises to sustain and strengthen those who trust in Him even in times when the temptation to quit is strong.
Isaiah 40:30-31 tells us, "Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint."
2. God's Purposes Might Take Time, But They Will Never Fail
Some Christians quit the faith because they think that God isn't there for them, or because they feel that God's promises and plans for them don't get fulfilled. Truth is, God's promises never fail; they just don't usually happen at the time, place, and way we want them.
In Habakkuk 2:3, God said, "For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, It will not tarry."
Whatever it is that God wants to happen will surely happen at the time He wants it to happen. We have to learn to wait on Him to see it come to pass.
3. God Said Only Those Who Overcome Will Be Saved
Many wrongly believe this idea that once you're saved you can do pretty much anything, including intentionally sin, and still be saved at the end of your life. This isn't true. The proof of one's salvation is a genuine change in heart marked by turning away from sin into a lifelong pursuit of Christ.
This doesn't even mean one will go into seclusion, but it does mean turning away from past sins and fully embracing a life dependent on God alone for happiness, contentment, pleasure, and making Him our delight, in a world that's full of sinful and lustful passions.
In Matthew 24:12-13, Jesus spoke of this contrasting truth, saying, "Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved."
Let's choose to pursue God no matter what happens.
