Quit – a four letter word that could stir up all kinds of emotions and trigger recall of so many memories; to a mere listener, maybe sadness, sympathy but to the recipient and speaker, depression, emptiness, hopelessness.
Love – a four letter word that could stir up all kinds of emotions and trigger recall of so many memories; to a mere listener, maybe happiness, excitement but to the recipient and speaker, joy, fullness, acceptance.
Isn’t it interesting
How powerful both these 4 letter words are? And how remarkable the difference in reaction it brings to the recipient of the word? In 2 Corinthians 13, the Bible teaches us what love is and how it should be. Verse 7 says, “Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” Do we still see much of this these days? Do YOU practice this?
I didn’t…
Unfortunately, I didn’t practice perseverance, in many occasions. Not that I blame my past but I’ve felt left behind by people I love or worse, unprotected even in their presence. I have stared at them living life daily patronizing the person/s that have hurt and scarred me the most. And so, instead of self-pity, I learned to ignore, to be indifferent.
I felt not fighting for myself, my feelings (quitting) would just make things easier. I thought being indifferent makes you stronger, and quitting spares you and the other person the pain of resolving conflicts.
As I entered a relationship with a God-centered man, together, we enrolled in a marriage seminar class in less than 5 months of being together. We learned how to better avoid and resolve conflicts through the classes and also the book Fit to be Tied by Bill and Lynne Hybels. It was a big news flash for me, requiring a lot of adjustment and understanding. And sometimes, I still find myself doing what I used to… saying ‘I Quit’ but deep down, I don’t really mean it.
“Love ALWAYS protects”. Not just when you feel like it or when things are nice and sweet. ALWAYS.
Do you protect your mom or dad with how you answer them, your gestures and even facial expressions? Do you protect your friend with your responses each time someone gossips about him/her? Do you still hope and pray to God to change your heart to what He desires for you when things don’t go your way? Do you ask your Maker to make you more patient and enduring to your boss/teachers?
To quit or to love?
Would you choose to scar your life and the recipient of your words when you quit?
I bet you have already seen how one can hurt with what you say.
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” – Proverbs: 18:21
Do you dare to live with the thoughts of what-if-I-had-just-been-more-patient? Or would you choose to love and be a vessel of light in a difficult person’s life? Remember that it’s a choice, NOT a result of emotions.
Someone dear to me advised me once that when you have said something, you no longer own it. The people who hear them now own them too. You can no longer take back the damage it has done. Decide today in whatever circumstance or event, who will you be? How are you going to react?
DON’T QUIT
Quitters don’t go anywhere. They will still get stuck in the same situations, events or difficult people they want to escape from. They will encounter the same trial once more but in a different form. Why?
Because they quit!
They didn’t face the challenge of what should have made him/her a stronger, more capable and better human being. God allowed that something to happen in your life. He ordained consequences of YOUR choices, YOUR actions. So do yourself a challenge and FACE IT. I know I have.
We were never tasked to change the world; but only to change oneself and maybe, in one way or another, change many others’.
“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” – Ephesians 4:22-24
“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” – James 1:12
Quitting should never be an option because you have already been saved by the Conqueror of life and death.
“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. ” – 1 Corinthians 15:57
Claim it!
