Have you ever felt like quitting at something? I know I sure have. Unfortunately, there have been many times in my life where I have quit at something and there have been many more times in my life where I have been tempted to quit. David Lloyd George said: “There is nothing so fatal to character as half-finished tasks.” Someone famous called Anonymous once said: “We are judged by what we finish, not by what we start.”
Looking back over the last ten years of your life, what do you wish you had not quit? Do you wish you had finished high school, college or graduate school? Do you wish you kept on taking voice lessons, dance lessons, piano lessons or skiing lessons? Do you wish you had stayed with the rather low-level job that nevertheless had a great deal of potential for advancement? Do you wish you had maintained that long-term friendship that dissolved when the going got rough?
Most of us try not to think about our failures any more then we have, and Scripture advises us not to live in the past but occasionally it pays to consider the high cost of quitting. So many people live with scars or lingering wounds from having quit on something or someone. So many look back on their lives, shake their heads and ask, “Why did I cash in so easily?” The answer is obvious: it is infinitely easier to quit than to endure.
It’s easier to go out and play then to practice scales.
It’s easier to watch TV after work than to take night classes at the community college.
It’s easier to walk out of the room during an argument than to stay and work through the conflict.
It’s easier to do what you want to do with your life than to kneel before God, turn the reins over to Him, and wait patiently and expectantly and sometimes even agonizingly for Him to lead you.
We may as well admit it – it’s almost always easier to quit than to endure. But, quitting exacts a high cost, and many of us have paid dearly for giving up so soon. We spend a lot of energy trying to avoid trials, but we actually ought to thank God for them. Adversity helps us develop endurance, and endurance is a powerful weapon to have in our character arsenal.
So how do we learn endurance? We build endurance in our lives by learning how to crash through quitting points in our lives. If you’re a runner, you know what a quitting point is. It happens on the twentieth lap when your sides are splitting, your legs are heavy, your throat is burning and your mind is screaming “Quit! Enough! Don’t go another lap, another half lap, and even another step!” You’re at a physical quitting point.
It happens in a work situation when the pressure is mounting as a deadline draws near. You are dizzy from working as hard as you know how, and suddenly the boss comes in and barks yet another assignment. You think, “That’s it! I can’t stand it one moment longer. I’m going to write out a resignation notice, throw it on his desk, and walk out.” That’s a vocational quitting point.
There are many other kinds of quitting points – moral, educational, emotional, psychological, relational, spiritual. In almost everything we do, we will reach a point where all we can think of is the sweet relief of cashing it in.
If you are at a quitting point right now, count the cost very carefully before throwing in the towel.
Quitting is not glamorous.
It does not develop your character.
In most cases, you will regret it the rest of your life.
When you come to a quitting point in life: draw on God’s strength, crash through it and you will build endurance in your life. Whatever your quitting point, I challenge you to test God’s truth and faithfulness by saying, “God, I am going to proceed, trusting You to empower me to crash through this quitting point and come out in one piece on the other side.”
What has been your experience with quitting? Have you ever quit something and then regretted it later? How have you overcome the urge to quit?
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Although I agree with you, sometimes I think the strongest person knows when to quit. I don't know if that's even making sense, but I did enjoy your post.
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I love that, kevin — learning how to endure by learning how to crash through the quitting points. Great post.
Thanks for the words today Kevin.. I'm right in the midst of a situation I'd love to "quit" while knowing that God asks me to hang in there. While I Can't, He can.
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Too many of us have quit on our spouses, divorce is definitely not glamorous.
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Powerful post Kevin!
It used to be easy to step away and go in another direction. Now, I have the poewr in my conviction to stay the course and follow through to reach the Dreams that I envision. Makes life so much more colorful and exciting!
Thanks for a great post reminding us to push through to ur success, whatever that looks like for each of us,
Val
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It's strange…we are told…
"Quitters never win and winners never quit" and "You better quit while you're ahead"
Always leaves me confused…but I enjoyed your post. I'm not a fan of quitting but I am of surrendering, but only to His will. Thanks for sharing bro'
Jay
I understand what you are saying here; however, I think this matter of quitting something is not so simple. I think of the women I've known who have "quit" an abusive relationship to save themselves and their children, who have gone into hiding or had to move away, and what strength it took to do that, to say no more, and I think of the two whom I've known whose fear was greater than their strength and they are no longer alive.
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Good points Jason! There are definitely things we need to quit. Sadly, we usually end up quitting the wrong things!
I know what you are saying Duane! Quitting isn't always a bad thing. I should have made that more clear in my post. The problem is (as I said in my comment to Jason) that we end up quitting the wrong things way to often!
Thanks Glynn!
While I Can't, He can.
Amen! Thanks for sharing!
No it is not! Thanks for sharing Rick!
Thanks for sharing Val!
Great distinction Jay! As I said in some of my previous comments, quitting isn't always bad. There are things we need to quit like quitting living for the acceptance of others or quitting find our significance in our work. The problem is, we end up quitting the wrong things instead of the things we should be quitting!
I agree with you Maureen and I should have made this point in my post. All quitting is not bad (as in the examples you have given). There are some things that we need and have to quit but unfortunately like I have said in previous comments, most of the time we end up quitting the wrong things instead of the right things. I.E. Instead of quitting blaming others we chose to live our lives as the martyr and we end up quitting on our marriages and/or families because they are not "meeting our needs." Does that make sense?
I can be fairly stubborn with things, which is good when you want to endure for the good things, but bad when you should have quit what wasn't good or God! The thing about quitting that bugs me the most (and often keeps me from doing it) is that I don't have the full perspective. I don't know how close I am. I may only be an year, month, hour, or minute away. If I give up, will I lose all the equity and sweat I put into this? Probably so. Great post and things we need to consider. Thanks, Kevin.
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I agree Kevin! Thanks for taking my jumbled thoughts and making sense of them.
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… learning how to crash through quitting points in our lives …
I like that phrase!
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TThis is a powerful post that really speaks to me! And in those moments when 'quitting' looks bad, it's really about 'beginning', not quitting.
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As Maureen suggests in her comment, there is a great difference between quitting, as in "giving up", and quitting because we realize we are going down a badly chosen path or find ourselves in a no-win situation. And there are also those times when we realize that what we set out to do has served its purpose and there is no valid reason for seeing it through to the end.
I'm reminded, for example, of a friend of mine who, years ago, set out to hike the entire Appalachian trail from where it begins in northern Georgia to its other end way up in Maine. His intentions were solid, and he was certainly in physical shape to accomplish the task. However, after several months on the trail, he realized that he was ready to simply leave the trail and move on with life. He realized he had accomplished something intangible within himself that he had set out to do, and there was no need to continue. He was done, he was perfectly satisfied with what he had endured and enjoyed over the last several months, and he was fine. He wasn't quitting. He was just closing a chapter and moving on.
The real key, I believe, is that when we do decide to quit something, for whatever reason, do not look back. Life is a journey, like a constantly moving current that is moving downstream; and we make the choice as to whether or not we are going ride that current and enjoy the sites and experiences along the way, or fight the current and always try to get back upstream. The river may present challenges along the way (rapids, and sometimes even some pretty serious waterfalls). We simply navigate and move forward, all the while listening to that still small voice within us that is guiding us along the way and constantly saying, "don't look back, don't look back, there's too much wonder ahead."
Powerful words.I easily related many of these points with myself.I recently quit a book project,which could have brought something in future.But i feel,from past experience,there is no point in wasting too much energy for a dead cause.Some times,we have to realise that no matter how much we try,the path we travel through might not lead where the destiny is and hence,we have to de route.There are two sides to the quitting.Some people quit a high paying job which doesnt give any satisfaction to then,for taking a small job which gives them happiness and creative inspiration.But somepeople take on the odds and continue with such jobs or responsibilities to reach higher levels.It depends on situations and characters.Well,your words are really powerful.
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Thanks for stopping by and sharing Anne!
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Great point Louise! Thanks for sharing!
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Wow! Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Great points to ponder Steve!
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That is a good distinction to make! Thanks for sharing Nithin.
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Thanks for stopping by again Chris! I hope to see you back again soon!
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Hi Kevin!
Glad to be back at your blog! I have had experiences with quitting and I think the biggest thing that gets me thinking and regretting is the what if's. Especially if you had big dreams, which is why it's so important to just keep trying, anything and everything to achieve your goals. You'll regret it later.
Bye Kevin!
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Kevin,
Thanks for such a great, inspirational quote. I still occasionally look back at my being too shy to go to my first grade piano recital and that being the end of my piano lessons. I wish I had been supported into going. Being an adult and not a victim, I do what I can to encourage my daughter to move through her discomfort in exploring new things and expressing herself. And we definitely are not a family of quitters!
Thanks so much,
Adam
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Woooow! I liked this very much. Thanks for sharing. This really eased my heavy heart today. I don't even know if you can say that in English: heavy heart.
I just HATE quitting… yet, I think there isn't any choice at times, and even then, knowing it's the right thing to do, I still feel guilty and disgusted with myself that it had to go that way. So, sometimes quitting is simply the next phase of moving forward with the Lord. So hard to know, especially folks like me who are a bit intense and extroverted. Usually b/c everyone knows we quit/changed, when they didn't think it would come along that way and they think we 'failed." A heart-heavy challenge. Walking through one of those right now, in fact…. and it's a heartbreaker b/c it has to do with family. Thanks for your input and your "thought"putting.
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Sad but true …
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Thanks for sharing Dr. Adam!
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts (and story) Joanne!
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Awesome thoughts, Kevin. To know when to walk away, and when to sink your feet in even deeper isn't always easy. I appreciate the reminder and lesson, I've made mistakes too many times in this area in the past.
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Thanks for sharing Bridget!
Yep. I quit graduate school, and I've regretted it since. I mean, how much value does HALF a master's degree hold? None. And you're right – it's WAY easier to come home from work and watch TV than it is to take the 5 or 6 classes I have left! ARGH! This post is a kick in the pants!!! So…thanks?
Thanks for stopping by and sharing Mary!
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