Quitter

Written by cycleguy on May 20th, 2013

Have you ever had one of those days where you just wanted to bury your head under the pillow and never get out of bed?  It isn’t a depression thing I’m talking about.  It’s about making mistakes that we have to face.

Sometimes we find ourselves in over our heads and can’t face the fact we don’t can’t measure up (in our minds) so we just “take our ball and go home.”

You have probably seen the same  information I have, but if not, then I’d like to use it to make a point.

Michael Jordan once said, “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career.  I’ve lost almost 300 games.  Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed.  I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Babe Ruth struck out almost twice the number of times he hit a home run, yet he is still considered one of the greats.  Abraham Lincoln lost almost every political race he entered, until he was finally elected president.

Thomas Edison went through thousand of experiments before inventing the light bulb.  He was reported to have said, “Well, we know one more way it won’t work.”

When things happen to us that aren’t exactly “scripted” or the way we had hoped, it is easy to want to give up.  But that is only one way to respond!  There are other ways!!

I performed a wedding Sunday afternoon for a couple who has been together for five years and is now expecting a baby.  (Spare the judgments that could rain down).  I had a good initial visit with them and the door is now open for further dialogue.  But the point I want to make is I talked to them during the ceremony about the permanence of marriage.  About not giving up.  About not being quitters.  About loving as Christ loved the church.

I think we all need a good swift kick in the seat from time to time.  We all get discouraged. We all feel like burying our head from time to time.  But the one thing modeled for us in the Scriptures is

DON’T QUIT!

When the tough times hit, men and women of God didn’t quit.  Even when they felt like it (take Elijah after Mt. Carmel) God said, “Oh no you don’t.”  Example after example.  None better than Jesus Himself.

SO DON’T YOU QUIT!!

Any thoughts?  Is there a Bible or historical character who embodies not quitting to you?  Do you know anyone who needs a word of encouragement today?

 

20 Comments so far ↓

  1. Daniel says:

    My pastor (Rob) gives a great sermon on how married couples should love one another. I wish I could have talked to him when i still could have done something about it. Oh, and my wife was pregnant when I was married. I felt no shame or embarrassment or guilt about that and I never will. However, when sex starts before marriage, it really takes away from developing deeper bonds and really getting to know the other person.

    • cycleguy says:

      You are like many of us Daniel…we wish we could have. True your marriage is over, but that young lady of yours needs you and you are there for her. Your last statement is absolutely 100% correct.

  2. Jason says:

    Job.

    Game/Set/Match.

  3. Zee says:

    As I was reading, I kept thinking of David… Of all people who could’ve quit because of the mistakes he had made, it would be David… yet, despite being a murderer, adulterer, and after other face-planting events, he trusted God to help him get up and get going again.

    But it’s also ironical that you mention not quitting because just this very morning that’s what I told my friend – “Just don’t give up.”

    Some call God a God of Second Chances… I will say He’s a God of As-Many-As-We-Need-And-Ask-For Chances.

    • cycleguy says:

      Good example using David. He could be a poster child for quitters if he had decided to do that. I also believe in a God-of-Many Chances.

  4. floyd says:

    I too thought of David, but more about the first part of his life when he ran to live. Even in his wandering years he still never took vengeance as a will from God. Who would go through what he went through, including running from his son Absolom who was trying to kill him? Almost all characters in the Bible were called to perseverance, at least the heroes of the faith… and now us. As part of that story we are to press on, to run the good race, to fight the good fight. The only way a person could quit is if they don’t know the Father who pulls us from inside…

    • cycleguy says:

      I think your example of the early life of David is a good thought Floyd. Hebrews 11 is a good list of non-quitters. Thanks.

  5. Kari Scare says:

    Okay, this is getting strange. Our post topics have been mirroring each other pretty directly lately. Your post today connects with my post today on strengthening your marriage. My post this Thursday connects with what you have said recently about judging others (I wrote it prior to yours coming out). I take this as tremendous confirmation that we are on the right track with our topics. So, i said all of that to say that I believe that simply determining to not quit – ever – is a huge key in victory in any area of life.

    • cycleguy says:

      That must mean great minds think alike, but then mine is missing. 🙂 It is ironic though that our posts connect. Your post today is a good one and I hope people will follow you over there. Not quitting- at all- is key for sure.

      • Kari Scare says:

        I wonder where my is some days too, especially with my current struggle with vertigo. Ugh! I take the connection as confirmation, and I so appreciate it! Because you are being obedient in your topics, I am receiving much-needed confirmation which serves as encouragement. Thank you!

  6. I think of the Apostle Peter…his heart seemed so bent on quitting, even after Jesus’s resurrection (the whole going back to fishing thing). The absolute awesomeness of Jesus to restore Peter on a beach where he first was called to follow leaves me speechless.

    After that…Peter was unstoppable…

    • cycleguy says:

      What a great example Jay! That whole fishing thing was him basically saying, “I’m done.” I love your take on it. Thanks.

  7. Betty Draper says:

    Just came from posted a thank you to your reply to my blog post. Yesterday I was ready to quit writing due to a simple mistake that brought offence to someone I care deeply about. An “I’m sorry, can you forgive me” seems so shallow, yet it’s all I have since I cannot undo the mistake. I know God will not waste my mistake, it is already helping me draw closer to Him. Your post and the replies encouraged me this morning. Blessing brother.

    • cycleguy says:

      Glad you didn’t quit Betty. There is absolutely no way we will please everybody. While an “I’m sorry…” seems so lame, it is worth saying. You have cleared your books, so to speak. Glad I could encourage you today.

  8. Susan says:

    I have to give equal time to men and women here.

    Caleb – one of my heroes. He, along with Joshua, believed God’s promise that He would take Israel into the land even though ten other Israelite men told them to pack up and leave the country. He hung in there during the forty years in the desert, and was one of the two Israelites from that mistake who made it into the Promised Land. Then, he asked for his portion in the land to be the mountain where the giants lived where he proceeded to make it habitable for his family. Just Wow.

    On the distaff side, I love Ruth. She was a Moabite woman, a descendant of the children of Moab who was a product of incest when one of Lot’s daughters seduced her father. God forbade them to enter the Tabernacle. Naomi’s son married Ruth, and such a mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship that grew from that. When all of Naomi’s menfolk had died, she sent her daughters-in-law back to their parental abodes. Except that Ruth insisted that she would stay with Naomi. Ruth’s hardworking can do attitude and love for Naomi attracted the eye of Boaz, a distant cousin of Naomi’s husband. (And Boaz was the son, I think, of Rahab, the prostitute who helped the Israelites at Jericho.) Boaz married her and they had a son Obed, who had a son, Jesse, who had a son, David who became king. Ruth is one of only four women who are mentioned in the genealogy in Matthew chapter 1.

    They didn’t quit.

  9. Dan Black says:

    Great examples of people who never quite or gave up! I believe if we keep moving forward, though struggles and challenges come, we will arrive at our desired destination. The key is to keep moving forward and determine never to quite or give up. Great post Bill!

  10. Bill, I like Mark. We might have never heard of Mark again, but eventually he and Paul made up. I think we need to invest in those who might quit.

  11. Debbie says:

    I’m thinking of the widow in 2Kings 4 who had nothing as the creditors were coming. She followed Elisha’s directions to go and get empty vessels . .as crazy as that had to sound . ..instead of giving up. 🙂 Many times over the years I’ve asked God what to do, feeling like I had made a mess of everything. He always tells me to keep trying.
    God bless you as you tell others to keep trying to!