Don't QuitSample

When you want to quit because you’re…tired

I’m guessing you may have chosen this devotional because you are tired. You don’t want to quit, but the thought has flitted across your mind. “It would be so much easier if I just…quit.” What you might be wrestling with when quitting is quite a long list. Perhaps the struggle of a relationship is wearing you out. Or it might be a job or task you have been leaning into and not seeing the results you expected. There are a lot of reasons our emotions can lead us to quit.

It would be helpful if you take a moment - right now, take a pause - to write down what you are tired of. (I would imagine there are going to be several things, once you start writing.) I’m serious. Stop. Write it down on a piece of paper with a pencil/pen. Accurately naming our struggle moves us a long way towards having power over it instead of it having power over us. “Name it to tame it” is a brain strategy for gaining victory over our emotional reactions to life.

When my kids were young, we had a “no quitting” rule. If you started something, like a sport, you had to finish it. You might not do it a second season, but you had to keep going. Because here’s the deal: Quitting is an easy habit to start and a very difficult habit to…quit. Ironic, isn’t it?

In this devotional, we are going to take a look at passages of scripture that use the Greek word hypomone (HIPO-MO-NAY). The primary English translation is two words - Steadfast Endurance. It isn’t hard to understand what it means; it is just difficult to do sometimes. Don’t Quit is the negative; Keep Going is the positive. It might be good to write those four words down and place them in strategic locations to remind you.

The Bible has quite a bit to say about hypomone. Let’s look at some of what it says to get wisdom and truth to Keep Going, to Don’t Quit.

Questions to Consider

• Have you fallen into the habit of quitting? What got you there?
• What is the Holy Spirit telling you to have steadfast endurance about in this season of your life?

Actions to Take

• Write down the thing(s) you want to quit. Be honest with yourself and with God.
• Confide in a friend when you are facing discouragement and the temptation to give up.

Prayer to Make

Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me your son, Jesus, to show me the way to endurance and for giving me the Holy Spirit to empower me to endure. I confess to you that I am feeling tired and tempted to quit. I release all of this to you and ask that you would encourage me and strengthen me to steadfastly endure. Amen.