Defying The Urge To Quit

Good morning, church!

I trust you're all doing wonderfully well today. I'd like to start us off with a little humor. A man went for a hike on a trail he'd never been on before. After many hours, he realized he was hopelessly lost. Desperate, he did what any of us would do... he pulled out his phone to call his wife. "Honey," he said in a panic, "I'm lost. I don't know what to do." After a pause, his wife replied, "Don't worry, dear. As soon as you miss a meal, you'll find your way home."

Now, while that man may have lost his way, he did not lose his determination. This leads us to our discussion today, titled "Defying the Urge to Quit". Let us turn our attention to the words of the Apostle Paul in Galatians 6:9:

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

In the world we live in, it can be easy to become disheartened, to feel overwhelmed, and yes, even to want to quit. But our scripture today encourages us to persevere, to keep doing good, to keep moving forward, even when we feel like giving up.

Consider the life of Elijah, a powerful prophet of God, as depicted in 1 Kings. Elijah was a man who did not shy away from proclaiming God's truth, even when it meant standing against King Ahab and his wicked queen, Jezebel. Elijah witnessed God perform amazing miracles, including raising the dead and calling down fire from heaven.

However, in 1 Kings 19, after Jezebel threatened his life, we see a different Elijah. He was afraid and ran for his life. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors."

But God didn't let Elijah quit. Instead, He sent an angel to comfort and provide for him, and in the strength of that food, Elijah journeyed forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God, where God gave him a new assignment.

Just like Elijah, we also have moments when we feel like saying, "I have had enough, LORD." Yet, in these moments, God comes to us. He nourishes and strengthens us, not necessarily by sending an angel, but through His Word, through our fellowship with other believers, and through the Holy Spirit.

In the New Testament, we encounter Paul, a man who had every reason to quit. Beaten, imprisoned, shipwrecked, stoned, and constantly facing death, Paul's journey was far from easy. Yet, he writes in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9,

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."

Paul defied the urge to quit because he understood what British statesman, Winston Churchill, once said, "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts."

Our Christian journey will not always be smooth sailing. There will be challenges, trials, and tribulations. We may be tempted to quit, but let us remember the words of Jesus in John 16:33,

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Even when the urge to quit seems overwhelming, we must defy it and lean into our faith. We are not alone in our struggles. We have a Savior who has already overcome the world.

There is power in persistence, power in perseverance. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward."

Look at Peter, who despite his denial of Jesus, was restored and became a cornerstone of the early church. Think of Job, who despite losing everything, remained steadfast in his faith and was eventually restored twofold. These individuals faced tremendous challenges, yet they defied the urge to quit.

The book of James reminds us, "Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him." (James 1:12)

As believers, we have a hope that anchors our soul. When the winds of life become tempestuous, when the sea of our circumstances seems too vast, our anchor remains steadfast. It is this hope that enables us to defy the urge to quit.

In closing, I challenge you to consider the words of Hebrews 12:1-2:

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith."

Life is a marathon, not a sprint. It's a journey filled with ups and downs. When you're feeling weary, when you're tempted to quit, remember Elijah. Remember Paul. Remember the words of God encouraging us not to grow weary in doing good.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus. Let His strength be our strength. For in His strength, we can defy the urge to quit and continue running the race set before us.

May God's grace and peace be with you all as you face the challenges of the coming week. And remember, when you feel like quitting, God is there to give you strength to keep moving forward.

Amen, and God bless you all.