Growing up I was taught to “Never give up. Don’t quit. Quitters never win.” And those lessons have stuck with me throughout life. I don’t like or respect quitters, people who give up when what they’re working towards gets difficult, when things aren’t adding up, or when they have to break a sweat. I don’t like to quit either. It makes me feel like a loser, like I’ve been defeated, like I should’ve fought harder to win the prize. But what happens when what you’re working towards isn’t a part of God’s plan for your life? What’s the point in getting to the top only to have God tell you, “That’s not where I wanted you?”
The over the past 7 months I have watched God complete rearrange my life. During my revamping, a number of things I had chosen or wanted to do have been placed on the chopping block. Looking back, everything that God has taken out of my life, I was first given the opportunity to give up…but I didn’t because I’m not a quitter. I honestly feel bad because now I see and understand that God was asking me to let go of certain things so that He could give me bigger dreams, ambitions, and responsibilities. But I just couldn’t quit.
What’s hard about this situation is that I’m at this point again. God is asking me to let go of certain things in my life, and part of me doesn’t want to. These things are secure, comfortable, and even enjoyable. If I let go of this, what is going to take its place? Despite how I feel about letting go of this area of my life, it’s time for me to use what I’ve learned about quitting and ante up and just do it. And while I’m in the process of doing so, I might as well share some lessons with you:
1) Quitting isn’t for losers. Sometimes it takes a strong person to walk away from something, especially something good, in order to grab onto something with more purpose.
2) Trust God. When you are forced to give up the familiar for the unknown, trust God. He will never ask you to give up more than He’s going to give you bad. He rewards obedience. Follow His lead and you will be fine.
3) Swallow you pride. Pride is your biggest enemy, and it’s usually what stops you from walking away when your time is up. Don’t let your pride force you to settle for being good when great is right ahead.
With that said, I want to leave you with words from one of my favorite tweeters, @AshleyM_Moss: “Sometimes we settle for comfortable jobs when Christ has called us to extraordinary lives. May our jobs not cloud our calling.”
Signed,
Purposefully Driven
Kia Speaks 