Why You Can't Quit

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Why You Can’t Quit

I like to know that people think that I am right to be mad about my life. I like reading that... I need it. Sometimes I feel like quitting school, and work, and just locking myself in my room and refusing to eat, and just let myself wilt...

yeah sometimes I feel like quitting everything. or just driving away and leaving everything.

sometimes I feel like quitting school because it so meaningless…

“Take this job and shove it. I ain’t working here no more.”

“Talking to myself and feeling old... Sometimes I’d like to quit, nothing ever seems to fit.”

Why do people quit?

￢ They want it to be easy

￢ They are worn out.

￢ They are emotionally drained.

￢ They are scared of failure.

You heard about the guy who was laying on the ground with his ear against the pavement: “Late model green four door sedan, older man driving with two grandkids in the back. License plate 456-KXY.” “Ear to the ground, nothing! That’s the car that ran over me!”

We would all like life to be a bit easier. But then it wouldn’t be life, right?

The following are actual responses from comment cards given to the staff members at Bridger Wilderness Area in 1996:

Trails need to be reconstructed. Please avoid building trails that go uphill.

Too many bugs and leeches and spiders and spider webs. Please spray the wilderness to rid the areas of these pests.

Please pave the trails so they can be snow-plowed during the winter.

Chair lifts need to be in some places so that we can get to wonderful views without having to hike to them.

A small deer came into my camp and stole my jar of pickles. Is there a way I can get reimbursed? Please call…

Reflectors need to be placed on trees every 50 feet so people can hike at night with flashlights.

Escalators would help on steep uphill sections.

A MacDonald’s would be nice at the trailhead.

SOURCE: In Quest of Convenience, Citation: Mike Neifert, Light and Life (February 1997), p. 27.

Give me some things in your life you’ve felt like quitting:

￢ Parenting.

￢ Trying to follow Jesus

￢ Marriage

￢ Job

￢ Trying to help someone

￢ Praying for a family member

Today, I’m here to tell you WHY YOU CAN’T QUIT!

1. Because Jesus could return at any time.

"Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.” Revelation 3:11 (NKJV)

2. Because God is on your side.

What can we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since God did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else? Romans 8:31-32 (NLT)

3. Because blessings will come if you keep going.

So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.

Galatians 6:9 (NLT)

One day George Muller began praying for five of his friends. After many months, one of them came to the Lord. Ten years later, two others were converted. It took 25 years before the fourth man was saved. Muller persevered in prayer until his death for the fifth friend, and throughout those 52 years he never gave up hoping that he would accept Christ! His faith was rewarded, for soon after Muller's funeral the last one was saved.

How can I keep going?

1. Get in the race for the long haul.

Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

Acts 13:43 (NLT)

The Spanish Conquistador Hernando Cortez went ashore not knowing what he would find. His men didn't know anything about what they would be facing, whether sickness, famine, war, etc. When they landed, they started inland and up a hill. When they got several hundred feet up, someone yelled. They turned and looked back, to see that all 11 ships were consumed in flames.

Cortez had set all the ships on fire. Escape/retreat was not even in their vocabulary.

The value of courage, persistence, and perseverance has rarely been illustrated more convincingly than in the life story of this man (his age appears on the right):

Failed in business 22

Ran for Legislature--defeated 23

Again failed in business 24