“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” 1 Corinthians 15:58, NKJV
Do you ever feel like you want to give up?
You know you should push forward, but you just can’t find the energy. You feel like giving up and throwing in the towel.
You question the purpose of this tough thing you’re going through because you’ve been faithful.
God rewards those who believe in Him, right?
So why is it so hard?
I remember a time when I almost didn’t finish nursing school. I was a non-traditional student, which is a fancy way to say I was old compared to the others.
I wanted to quit.
I prayed instead. A lot.
And despite my feelings, I stayed the course, kicking and screaming the entire time.
And you know what? I graduated.
God had to nudge me, but I did it. He provided the path. I just had to walk it.
Becoming a nurse was the hardest but most rewarding journey I’ve ever taken. I’ve met people I’ll never forget.
But the most important part was being able to help in their vulnerable moments.
God was always with me, even when I wanted to give up.
In your life, I’m sure there are times you’ve wanted to quit, too.
But maybe your situation is more tragic, like losing someone you love.
You feel lost and heartbroken. And you just don’t have the strength anymore.
Sometimes, it’s just too hard.
And pushing forward takes too much energy that you have to muster from every cell in your body.
It isn’t easy to see God’s plan when we’re going through something difficult.
But God’s word says to be steadfast and immovable.
So how can we stay the course when all we want to do is give up?
We let Jesus do it.
We aren’t strong enough to withstand all the battles in our flesh telling us to quit.
Our spirit is broken down by the lies of the world, saying we can do everything ourselves.
We feel inadequate, shameful even when we feel like giving up, which only fuels more despair.
But Jesus can do it. So ask Him for help right where you are.
Pray. Pray. Pray.
Building your relationship with Jesus will strengthen His presence in your life.
The more time you spend with Him, the more you trust Him.
You’d be surprised at how He shows up just when you can’t take it anymore.
He promised you that He would give you rest.
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” Matthew 11:28
Resting in Jesus doesn’t mean giving up and just going to sleep.
It means giving Him your burden and taking comfort in the truth that He will carry it.
Whatever makes you feel like quitting, God knows you are capable of being steadfast with His help.
He is faithful that you will press forward.
And you know who else knows? Satan.
He knows that you are powerful and immovable as soon as you have God and Jesus on your side.
Trust God, give it to Jesus, and you will make it through.
It sounds too easy, but trust is the hardest thing for us to give away.
Thank you for this inspiring message. I want you to pray for my current employer as he is giving me a tough time. Though he is a Christian and portrays to be a missionary but he is doesn’t have empathy at all. Anyways to cut the long story short he is under the influence of Muslim style. And he is forcing me to resign earkier though I still have days to still resign according to the contract
Dear Kelly , I am so thankful for this inspiring message. I ve been informed that I will have severe side effects if being vaccinated. I suffer a brain tumour, horseshoe kidneys and a blood disorder. It s been four days since being vaccinated and I ve experienced every possible symptom of this virus, but I thank God my Father for giving me the assurance at all times that He has me covered with His blood. Life for me is a daily challenge but seeing the grace and mercies of Jesus carrying me makes it worth the while. I love my Jesus, I live for Him. It s my daily desire drawing closer to Him and being more like Him. Love you guys, warm greetings from a cold South Africa
I did not mean to discourage other people from commenting. My experience is another way of looking at faith and living life but it is certainly not a way for everyone. In fact, I am sure that it is not a reasonable option for most people. Even most of my good friends see things very differently.
I read a lot of history as a child, and history books are mostly full of terrible times, so I expected life to be a lot worse than what I ended up experiencing. That shaped a lot of how I lived life.
This was a very interesting post and deserves more comments!
No, I have never felt like giving up. I am seventy years old, and I have lost loved ones, but I know that they are with God and we will be together. A good friend was killed by a drunk driver when we were in college. My granfather also died at about that time, and he was the only grandparent that was alive when I was born. Others have died, family and friends, and yes I miss them, but I am confident that I will see them again.
I never understood Christianity to promise a life without hardship, or without pain. But I believe that even when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, God is there with me. For my sake He allowed Himself to be tortured to death by one of the cruelest means that mankind has invented, so that after death I will have eternal life. So even when I am afraid, the fear is usually manageable. I have been a firefighter and worked in offshore oil in the Gulf of Mexico where sometimes it was so hot that you had to wear gloves to avoid burning your handsifnyou touched metal, and I lived for a year in North Dakota where it was sometimes forty degrees below zero F. Some things would be scary if I didn’t trust God. I have been very sick a few times, and had some temporarily disabling injuries that were painful, but I worked hard on my recovery and did as much as I could while I was recovering. I never thought that God promised me an easy life, so I was never discouraged just because something was hard or painful.
And I never thought that God was testing me. The world can be dangerous. Godbgave me free will, and my actions have consequences, some of which I do not foresee correctly. Then it is a learning experience. God loves me even when I make mistakes, but the mistakes are mine, andbthe consequences are usually the logical result of my mistake. Read your Bible – God helps His people through hard times, but He certainly doesn’t promise no hard times. The Isrealites wandered for forty years in the desert after God and Moses rescued them from being slaves under Pharoah. So far none of my times have been nearly as hard as either being a slave or wandering forty years in the desert. I camped in the California desert for a couple of days while I was in graduate school with adequate food and supplies and equipment. They walked into the desert with almost nothing but faith. And some of them died there, but they did not hesitate because being a slave was even worse.
God’s promises are forever, but He never promised us a rose garden. Trust what God actually promised, in scripture. But there are many false prophets. If someone promises you a rose garden, that person is not of God. When you realze how much better what God has promised is than what the false prophets promise, it is easier to “fear not”.
Kit,
Thank you for sharing. Your faith is inspiring! You’ve been through so much and it’s wonderful how you don’t succumb to fear by trusting in God’s promises. You are absolutely right, not everything is a rose garden within this world. But God is faitful and He will equip us to manage our circumstances if we choose to lean on Him.
God bless you and thank you again for your insight.
“In your life, I’m sure there are times you’ve wanted to quit, too. But maybe your situation is more tragic, like losing someone you love.”
That was specifically for me. The day my sister passed, the worst words came out of my mouth. I told myself out loud, “I’m done with life.”
What a mistake!
I had to push through and repented of my words. And I graduated too, two months later, even when I told myself I’d quit bible college.
I absolutely LOVE this post, Kelly. This touched me and motivates me to keep on fighting the good fight of Faith. Love you, girl! ❤
Thank you for sharing your experience, Abby. I’m so sorry about your sister. It can rip your heart out for sure. God bless you in the journey of keeping the faith. Jesus has a way of turning a broken heart into a purposeful mission. ❤️❤️