And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, IF we faint not. Galatians 6:9.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. II Timothy 4:7,8.

Don't Quit!

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're traveling seems all uphill;
When the funds are low and the debts are high--
When you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit:
Rest if you must, but don't you quit!

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns.
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won---had he stuck it out!
Don't give up though the pace seems slow---
You may succeed with another blow!

Success is failure turned inside out---
The silver tints of the clouds of doubt;
And you can never tell how close you are---
It may be near when it seems so far.
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit:
It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit!

Author Unknown

Part 1

Be Not Weary...

One of the easiest things for any of us to do when it seems like nothing is "going our way", is for us to just give up and QUIT. That's right: just "throw up our hands" and walk away. At the time, it seems the easiest way out, I know. And all the while, we will be telling ourselves, "It's the thing to do. I have all the reason in the world to quit. I'm justified in my actions."

Moreover, the enemy of our soul will be there, ever ready to pat us on the back and "console" us with, "You have good excuse to quit. There are already enough hypocrites in the world. You don't want to be one, too!" Or he will try with, "Look at all those prospering around you---they aren't living right, but they aren't doing without all that you are. So you must be doing something wrong. You've tried and tried and just cannot live it---you cannot make the standard. Just give it up and have some peace."

The one thing "giving up" will NOT give you is peace. The decision to "quit" or "give up" will gnaw at you and haunt you for many long years to come. You will be plagued with "what might have been". Certainly there are those times in our lives when we truly have given our best effort, and still don't attain that which we sought, but there's a world of difference in having done our ALL and in having simply lost by default, giving up!

Nearly all of us have seen someone training for a race, or some other "olympic" event. One does not simply "walk off the street" and into such competition: it takes years and years of dedicated commitment to train the mind and body for such a trial of endurance. It takes struggle, self-discipline, restraint and bodily pain to even qualify for entrance. Yet such events are earthly and there can only be one winner. Our spiritual race is one in which we are running for an incorruptible prize and it is not limited to only ONE winner.

However, just as in earthly events, those who "quit" or "throw up their hands and quit" do not have a chance to win. If we are going to make it, we must ENDURE to the END. It takes GREAT effort to be a winner. As our scripture text said, And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, IF we faint not. Paul wanted those he was addressing in his letter to the Galatians to know he realized the struggles they would sometimes face--they might even get tired of "living right". However, he wanted to admonish them to "keep on keeping on" for God: he wanted them to "stick with it" and keep on sowing the precious Word that they might reap spiritual blessings.
[ End of Part 1 ]