Pushing Past the Quitting Points

I’m not saying it’s going to be easy. It’s a process, sometimes a long one. As Christians, we want the instantaneous. We are a microwave generation that craves solutions to problems in thirty seconds flat. News flash: While God certainly does perform instantaneous deliverance, that is the exception, not the norm.

     So pray and keep praying. Believe and keep believing. Forgive and keep forgiving. . . . Get wisdom from godly counsel. Do what it takes to heal the wound.

In short: Don’t give up. Don’t give in. Your family, your purpose, your calling—all are worth fighting for. You have to learn that your weapons are not physical, but they are mighty, and they will see you through those times when you want to give up or give in. There were so many times when we were dealing with our kids in the teenage years that it would have been so easy just to step aside and let them go make their messes. But that was not the role God gave me as their earthly father. The easiest way is seldom the wisest way. There are times you have to stand your ground when everything in you is ready to give in.

     When bad times become unbearable, step back and let the Lord fight for you. Every day, life happens! You’ve been there. I’ve been there. Everyone has experienced some level of frustration and pain amid the daily throngs of life. No one is immune to the realities of life. That begs the question, “What do you do when Bad Times turn into Unbearable Times?” The answer to that question eludes far too many of us, even in the Christian world. Why? Because we have all made the naïve and foolish statement, “Can things get any worse?”

     If you have ever uttered such a sentiment, you are in good company. The children of Israel made the same declaration. Moses and Aaron had asked the power-hungry Pharaoh to let God’s people leave for a few days of worship out in the desert. Sounds like a reasonable request. But the outcome produced more hurt and difficulty for the children of God than they had ever known.

The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying, “You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. And you shall lay on them the quota of bricks which they made before. You shall not reduce it. For they are idle; therefore they cry out, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words.” - Exodus 5:6–9

     In an instant, an already bad situation now became unbearable! Ever had a day like that? A month like that? A year like that? Do you have an overloaded life demanding more from you? Do you have relationships that continue to make withdrawals without deposits? Do you find yourself in the depths of your soul asking God how you can keep your head above water?

     Drowning lives get God’s attention, and drowning people give more attention to God.

     I am sure you can identify with the Hebrew people in this timeless story. Bad yesterday! Today unbearable! But what happens next is usually life-changing. “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh. For with a strong hand he will let them go, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land’” (Exodus 6:1).

     When we become desperate, we cry out in desperation, which is an entirely different kind of prayer. Desperate cries for help create divine deliverance and will push you through those quitting places. God heard the cries of His people and moved on their behalf. He will do this in your circumstances as well. The next time you find yourself in a desperate and unbearable situation, consider the following:

     Relax: “Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you” (Psalm 116:7).

     Cast: “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6–7).

     Rest: “My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him” (Psalm 62:5). “The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble” (Proverbs 19:23 niv).

     Those three words, relax, cast and rest, describe productive actions you can take when life goes sideways. Relax—God is working things out for your good in spite of what you see happening around you. Cast—Like casting a fishing line far from the bank, God wants you to cast your troubles far from the bank of your soul. Rest—Contented resting, untouched by trouble, is available for you in the midst of the unbearable times.

     Today set aside time to consider the challenging decisions or circumstances you are facing. Grab a piece of paper and write them down. Place them in order of weight or heaviness on your heart. Try to limit the number to the top three. One by one, spend time in prayer asking God to help you to relax in Him, cast off the concern and rest over the outcome. He’s a big God, and He can provide big comfort, hope and ultimately peace in the middle of the storm. When bad becomes unbearable, God will always be there, waiting for your eyes to lift off your circumstances and rest in His unfailing gaze.

     Never give up. Never give in. Push past those quitting points. It is always darkest before the dawn. Joy comes in the morning!

Prayer

Dear Lord, You know where I am weak and where I lack the resolve I need for every situation. Be near me, Lord, I pray, especially on those days when I feel as if I cannot go on. Help me push past the quitting points in my life. Make them markers that remind me of those days when You helped me overcome.

Based off the book Restart Your Heart by Jentezen Franklin used by permission of Chosen, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Copyright 2018.