Ever want to quit—relationship, job, church—but deep down, you knew you shouldn’t?
Even though it would be easier to walk.
Even though you were wronged.
Even though it hurts to stay.
Maybe the marriage is not all you dreamed it would be.
Maybe the job is not what it was promised to be.
Maybe the church really is filled with hypocrites.
But for some reason, God will not let you quit.
So what do you do? Stay, or walk? Go for it on 4th and 20, or punt? Fight on, or tapout? All in, or fold?
What do you do when everything in you says to quit, but some faint, barely discernible still-quiet voice says to hang in there? (Don’t you wish God would speak louder or write his will on a wall or communicate in a way that is easier to hear understand than a still quiet whisper or an inner witness or a sub-conscience conviction?)
If you ever feel like you want to quit, but you know God wants you to not quit, I suggest you read the Christmas story.
The one in Matthew 1:18–25.
Summary. A man discovers his fiancé is pregnant. The baby is not his. She claims it is God’s. Yeah right. I’m out of here. He wasn’t bitter or vindictive. Just hurt. Confused. Done. And moving on with his life. But while he was sleeping, God sent an angel to tell him that the baby really was from God, and he better not quit.
An angel, really? How about sending me one of those every now and then?
I’m sure this guy still had questions. And doubts. And pain. And confusion. But he stayed engaged. He went for it. All in.
“When he woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded.” (v. 24)
Sometimes we just want to stay in bed and sleep it off, when we know we need to wake up and obey God.
Same question as before: ever wanna quit—relationship, job, church—but the Holy Spirit says not to?
We all have.
It will probably be a good idea to obey God. Every time I do, eventually, I’m glad I did.
Merry Christmas.