I Quit

I quit!  Perpetually problematic people producing persistent problems... I quit!  Continual complications causing catastrophic circumstances... I quit!  Terribly tenacious troubles tediously taunting... I quit!   

These two words pack a potent punch, but so does the weight of adverse circumstances and problematic people.  At some point in all of our lives we have wanted to shout those two words, and many have done that very thing.  I quit!  Others have not said them, but have followed through on the act nonetheless.  I quit!

It is stated that some 1700 pastors leave the ministry every month.  I quit!  There are some 1.2 million divorces in the U.S. every year.  I quit!  There are many leaving the church and walking away from God for a plethora of excuses.  I quit!  In 2010, the most recent year that data is available, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has suicide as the 10th leading cause of death for Americans.  That is one suicide every 13.7 minutes.  I quit! 

When the weight of worry is overpowering… I quit!  When the calamity of circumstances are overwhelming… I quit!  When the tiresomeness of tribulation is triumphant… I quit!  When the will to produce is squelched by the impact of the negative from this life… I quit!            

Most people ponder on the idea of quitting long before they say the words.  Sometimes people quit out of an emotional upheaval of the soul on the spur of the moment.  Later they live with regret for their passionate pandemonium.  You may be reading this and currently thinking about saying "I quit!" to some thing or someone right now.

Sometimes it is good to say I quit.  Maybe you are thinking about quitting smoking, alcohol, or another bad habit that leads to negative effects to your health or in your life.  Maybe you said yes to an extramarital affair that you need to quit.  You could be reading this and abusing someone.  Then you need to quit.  You may be someone who is prejudice over someone's skin color or socio-economic background.  Then you need to quit.  Hopefully we all can see that there are many things in life that we need to quit!

What about those that want to quit their calling, quit their job, quit their family, quit the church, quit God, quit this life, or quit all of the above?  You have grown weary from the weight of people and circumstances constantly pushing you down.  You feel all alone and think no one truly cares.  When you know that you should not quit, but it has just become too overwhelming to not yell those two words out at the top of your lungs.  I quit!  Where do you turn?  What can you do? 

Though you may be ready to give up.  Though you may have given up in the past.  Know that there is still hope in spite of the most perpetually, preposterous problems this life can throw your way.  There is still hope.  So before you call it quits.  Before you do something that could cause you much regret.  Go through this check-list and make sure quitting is the right thing to do.

10 things to check before calling it quits and in no particular order:

1.     I have asked a trusted and godly person for help working through this decision.

2.     I have established proper accountability to ensure I am doing my part correctly.

3.     I have identified the actual problem and not putting a Band-Aid on the symptom.

4.     I have implemented a plan to overcome this particular problem.

5.     I have not allowed a problem in one area of my life to cause problems in other areas of my life.

6.     I have given adequate time for the solutions implemented to work the problem out.

7.     I have been honest with my assessment of the situation and not allowed my emotions to overwhelm what is the right and best thing to do.

8.     I have understood that no matter how strong the feeling is, I am not alone.

9.     I have asked for forgiveness or given forgiveness where I am responsible.

10.  I know that Jesus loves me.  He has a plan for my life that I have written down and I am following Him. 

A couple of Scriptures to ponder:

John 16:33 (NLT)
[Jesus said] I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NLT)
16) That is why we never give up.  Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed everyday.  17) For our present troubles are small and won't last very long.  Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!  18) So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen.  For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. 


Click to listen to these songs:

Need You Now

Blessings


In Christ Alone and continuing in prayer,
Chad (Senior Pastor, Henderson General Baptist Church)

www.hendersongeneralbaptistchurch.org
www.facebook.com/hgbchurch
www.pastorchadh.blogspot.com
 

Sting

My youngest child went outside with his sister to feed the animals on our front porch on a June Wednesday evening.  We were all getting ready for bed when I heard him crying.  She came in first saying that he was stung by a bee.  As he came inside crying, he was holding his hand saying that a bee stung him.  I asked him how he knew that it was a bee sting.  He said, “Uhhh!  Daddy, I saw the bee and wanted to pet it!” 

Fast forward about twenty-four hours to Thursday evening while we are at our girl’s fast-pitch softball game.  She is up to bat and I have my camera on the sports feature taking multiple pictures trying to capture her big hit.  As I leaned against the fence to steady the camera, I zoomed in on her batting.  I opened both eyes to see when the pitcher was going to unleash the ball.  In my peripheral vision I saw wasps lurking overhead and I sensed imminent danger.  As I put the camera down and backed away from the fence, one of the wasps went on the attack and nailed me on the top-left side of my head.  Ouchy!  The experience of the sting hurt worse than hearing about it from my son the night before.   

The next morning I woke up and the top of my head was still a little sore.  There was also a newly formed knot on the back of my neck causing me pain every time I turned my head.  My neck continued to hurt for a week.  One “sting” caused lasting effects on me and my life for a week.  However, some people have an allergic reaction to a sting causing much more severe side effects that must be medically treated.  There is even a great potential for death if not cared for quickly.  Wow!  Just from one “sting!”

Did you know there are two other stings that this world brings our way that are far worse than any sting given by a wasp or a bee?  Neither of these kinds of stings is good and both are very, very dangerous.  However, a cure for these two stings has been provided!

1 Corinthians 15:54-57

Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory.  O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”  For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. ⁵⁷ But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Is there a “sting” (sin) in your life that is going unconfessed to the Lord?  Are you living your life in denial that you have been stung by the sin bee?  The Bible says there is victory over that “sting.”  Talk with the sting healer and the life giver today.  Ask God for forgiveness.  Accept the victory that he gives to you from the “stings” that are currently causing ill effects in your life today.  Imminent danger lurks, but we have victory through Jesus Christ!

Remember, God has a purpose and a plan for your life.  The sting of sin, however, wants to lead you away from that greater purpose.  Don't let the sting of sin have control of your day today.  Live out your day with #BalancedLiving for God so that you can be a #WorldChanger and #KingdomBuilder for His glory!

  

In Christ Alone and continuing in prayer,

Chad Hensley (Senior Pastor, Henderson General Baptist Church)

www.HendersonGeneralBaptistChurch.org

www.facebook.com/hgbchurch

www.PastorChadH.blogspot.com