Refuse to Quit!

We all go through three seasons in life—the honeymoon season, the problem season, and the perseverance-to-victory season. The honeymoon season is the initial start when all is new and exciting. Then we are faced with the reality of struggle. You could call this the problem season; a period of confusion and conflict. The future feels uncertain.

Problems we never thought possible arise and sap our energy. During this season we find it difficult to make the decision to deal with these problems effectively by confronting one problem at a time. It helps to separate them, so they are manageable. Often during this season we feel like quitting. We can quit and abort the plan of God, or we can continue on in perseverance. Proverbs 24:10 says, “If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small.”

A key posture to maintain in the perseverance stage is to “not look back.” When we are driving, we must keep our eyes on the road ahead if we want to reach our destination intact. If we focus on what is happening behind us, we could very well end up plowed into the traffic in front of us. We can all look back at our lives and lament, “If only I had done this or that in a particular situation, maybe things would be different now.” If we can see that the Lord wants to use our mistakes, trials and tribulations for His glory, we will be able to move on; otherwise, we get discouraged and give up.

Those who persevere will experience the joy of the perseverance-to-victory season. R.P. Macy failed seven times as an entrepreneur in retailing and then he started Macy’s department store. He refused to quit! Not quitting can be your greatest act of spiritual warfare!