Devotion: Why You Should Never Just Quit

 

“Temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed.” ~Chinese Proverb

It’s no coincidence that this devotional has been incredibly difficult for me to write. I have stared at this blank screen for a week straight. I finally convinced myself that I would just quit trying to write this post and start a new one, because it was just too hard and no one would ever really know I had quit.

Right?

Wrong.

I would know.

God would know.

And my only excuse was because it was hard.

I had convinced myself that it shouldn’t be so hard. If the words were not coming naturally, I thought, then it just wasn’t meant to be. But I knew that wasn’t true. I knew God had asked me to write about perseverance, and how the enemy tempts us to quit right before our biggest breakthroughs. And I know that God allows struggles, even tiny ones like this, to strengthen us, build our character, and give us hope.

“…And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:2-5 NIV)

Dear friends, let me just remind you of something.

We can do hard things.

We can. I promise. We are loving. We are resilient. We are strong. We have the amazing ability to be completely shattered and still want to find the beauty in the shards. We are roaring lions and peaceful lambs. We are daughters of the Almighty God who created the Heavens and the Earth. God does hard things all the time, and He literally lives inside of us.

Time and time again, we will come to the end of our own strength weak and exhausted. It is in this place that both God and the enemy meet us. God says to rest in Him and to use His unending strength to persevere because He knows the blessings that are coming. The enemy says to quit and whispers to us that whatever it is we are facing is too hard because he knows the blessings that are coming.

When you feel the greatest urge to give up remember this—don’t. Just don’t.

Don’t let the enemy rob you of the very struggles that will build perseverance, strengthen your character, and give you hope. Don’t let the enemy rob you of the blessings of success you and God have worked so hard for. You are stronger than this temptation because the Holy Spirit lives inside you. Lean into the struggle. Claim your reward. God promises us that greatness is birthed from struggle, and He cannot lie. He’s got you. When you get weary rest in Him, but don’t give up. It’s not worth the price you will ultimately pay.

This post was birthed out of my own deep desire to quit. I struggled with every word, came to the end of myself, and found nothing but a blank page and exhaustion. But God knew what was coming and encouraged me to lean into the struggle, push forward, and persevere. I am hopeful that God will use the very words He allowed me to sit with and struggle with to encourage you today.

Lord, I ask you to help us lean into our struggles this week.  Help us overcome the temptation to quit when life gets hard, and remind us that it is in those moments of struggle that you are giving us some of your greatest gifts.  Amen.

Scripture for Reflection

“Let us not grow weary or become discouraged in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap, if we do not give in.” (Galatians 6:9 AMP)

Reach for More

This week’s challenge is to do something hard. Is there something you have been struggling with? Are you on the verge of quitting? Be encouraged. Your struggle is birthing greatness. Maybe you want to start eating healthier but it just seems too hard. Lean into the struggle and ask God to help you make healthier choices this week. Maybe your job is extremely difficult right now, and you want to quit and find something easier. Lean into the struggle and ask God for strength to endure this tough season and the wisdom to know what to do next. Whatever your struggle is, just don’t quit.

Dear friends, we can do this. Be courageous, rest in the Father, and know that our struggles are leading to the greatness God has already prepared for us if we do not give in.

Please, come back and leave a comment telling us about how God spoke to you this week, or share your progress on social media using the hashtag #tgtreachformore. We would love to hear from you.

Sarah Lundgren has a passion for all things sparkly, loves God with her whole heart, and is known to love Starbucks chai lattes a whole lot, too. Sarah is currently snuggled in the heart of Grand Rapids, Michigan with her sweet hubby, J, and her full-time job is making pretty things all day long for her Etsy business, so sarah designs, but she also loves writing devotional content here at The Glorious Table.