Don’t Quit Now

Still pondering on the comment, “I don’t care if I lose four out of five fights, I just know the fire is going to come down!” Spoken by a professional fighter from Blackzilians UFC team.  There is so much more to continue from the first writing on, “Win Some and Lose Some.”

How do we speak as Christians during heavy trials? Or just during life itself? Do we speak faith? Do we continue with the same fervor and tenacity?  Hebrew 6:15 says, “so after he (Abraham) had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.”  You might think, “What promise?” The promise of blessing and abundant living. Let us think about this. To be honest waiting can be extremely difficult in the midst of a mess. Nobody likes to wait. It is uncomfortable, frustrating, painful at times, unsettling and even disturbing.  But we have to wait [to remain inactive or in a state of repose, as until something expected happens]. The problems is that as we wait, we try to do incorrect things in the interim to ease the feeling of being uncomfortable. To some that could be quite drastic and harmful to our lives. We must be careful.  It takes tremendous strength to wait.  But rest assured that as we wait we actually learn to do the correct things in life in order to obtain the best things that God has for us.

For some also that will even require the fight. You may think, “but how does that make sense to fight during my waiting period.” This means to fight through faith. To persevere. To stand strong and believe that the promises of God are YES and Amen! Romans 5:1-4 tells us, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”  So this wait actually produces something powerful in us called perseverance, character, and hope. 

We have to keep those boxing gloves on even when we don’t feel like it.  Especially when you are in that uncomfortable period. No one likes to be uncomfortable [causing discomfort or distress; painful; irritating;in a state of discomfort; uneasy; conscious of stress or strain]. Our soul quickly wants to result to the most comfortable choice to stop the distress, the pain, the irritation, the strain or the uneasiness. If this UFC fighter said, “I don’t care if I lose four out of five, I just know that the fire is going to come.” Shouldn’t we as believers take on this very attitude and believe that God is going to show up in our situation.

What if we are talking four out of five bad days, or four out of five bad months or even four out of five bad years. To the one that feels like their relationship is beyond repair. To the person that is going through a divorce. To the person that lost a loved one. To the person that is being pressured at the workplace and needs the job to pay bills. To the person that is raising children on their own. To the person that lost a home or even having to result to move into a shelter. That is a tough perseverance. I can only imagine that the 4 out of 5 can be filled with anguish, arguments, frustration, pressure, pain, sorrow, fear and torment.

The choices that we are quick to make are drugs to ease the pain. Medicine or other addictions to numb the body. Abandoning relationships to seek a quick escape. Running away from home and responsibility. Finding the party house. Choosing the one night stand. Gambling your money away. These are all choices of giving up. It is saying “I can’t do this any more, this is not worth it, I have had enough and I need a quick way out!” What if that enough is the breaking point to God saying He will deliver you in this.  Why quit now?  Why result in the things that will ultimately destroy us? You made it this far. You have given this much. Don’t you believe that God could take the perfect mess and make it into His masterpiece….even when it looks like there is no way out.

I am sure the Israelites felt the same way running from Egypt. They were being pursued. There was no way out. God promised them the victory. But the enemy was closing in on them. They only got to a place where they could actually be drowned alive! Sometimes we feel the pressure of problems are going to drown us as well. But God makes a way. In the midst of that impossible situation, He parted the red sea for them [Exodus 14:21]! What makes you think that He cannot change what looks to be impossible in your life?

You have to believe God. Believe God by waiting patiently. Believe Him by staying in the fight. Believe that He will make a way when there looks like there is absolutely no way out or no resolution. Go through the rivers. Go through the storms. Go through the floods of darkness because none of that will ever take you out or the promises that God has for you. So even when there looks to be no solution. God has one. You just have to trust that HE WILL DO IT! Psalm 27:14 declares, “I waited patiently for the LORD; He turned to me and heard my cry. Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him. I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in His word I put my hope”.

When you persevere, you build up your character. When you have character, you then discover a new hope that is founded on the rock of Christ Jesus! Stay in the fight. Remember that strong walls can shake but they will never collapse when you have a solid foundation. Apart from Christ, all else will fall.

Keep calm, help [CHRIST] is on the way!  Don’t Quit Now!