The Bible tells us to endure, to maintain going, several times. We may not give you the option to count the precise number, but let’s imagine at the very least a few hundred times, if we count all different expressions of “don’t quit” or “keep on with it.” Which signifies that after we follow God, we are going to wish to quit. We will need God’s grace to endure to do what’s right. At the identical time, the Bible tells us to stop doing things, too. Run from sexual immorality, don’t be greedy for money, stop worshipping false gods, and more.
Therefore, when we would like to quit, how will we know we’re speculated to keep going? To keep on with it? Use the next 5 questions, and the accompanying workbook, to make it easier to determine whether to remain the course or let it go.
1. Is This Serving God’s Kingdom?
Jesus commands us in Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the dominion of God and his righteousness.” He doesn’t tell us to hunt comfort, fame, or perhaps a “good job” with visible success. Christ calls us to hunt his rule and reign, his lifestyle breaking through into this world, and for this to be our first priority. Therefore, we must ask this query in the beginning.
The Kingdom of God carries its own culture. Paul tells us, “The kingdom of God will not be a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy within the Holy Spirit.” Kingdom culture is what’s produced under the loving reign of God in a spot through a people. It includes right relationships with God and others. It brings peace in chaos and joy in hard times. It’s expressed in generosity, mercy, humility, truth, and sacrificial love. The Sermon on the Mount essentially relates the culture of the Kingdom (Matthew 5-7).
Kingdom culture stands in direct contrast to the world’s culture. The world accommodates self-promotion, temporary, and meaningless gain. Colossians 3:1-2 encourages us to “seek the things which are above” and to set our minds on everlasting things, not the things of earth.
When we resolve whether to keep on with something, we should always ask: Does this reflect Kingdom culture? Does it embody Christ’s character? Will it produce everlasting fruit? Does it align with the King’s heart?
Jesus teaches us to wish for the Kingdom to return, God’s shall be done, on earth because it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). Our actions in following Jesus should bring heaven to earth through love, justice, and preaching the Good News. Our activity should reflect heavenly value.
When we ask, “Is it of the Kingdom?” we shift our thoughts to the everlasting calling, the things that last.
2. Is it Biblical?
Scripture is the word of God, useful for teaching and guiding us as an absolute rule for all times. The Bible expresses Kingdom values. Therefore, we must measure our priorities and life decisions by Scripture. Does our activity align with the principles of excellent and honorable work outlined within the Bible? Meditatiing on this questions can assist us to chop through our pride and anchor us in reality.
Scripture teaches that work as a present from God. Even before the Fall, God placed Adam and Eve within the Garden with responsibilities to administer it. God’s purpose for work is to reflect and take part in God’s redemptive and artistic nature. How does our work reflect this character? Does it contribute to human and environmental flourishing? Does it serve others or oppress them?
Paul instructs us, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and never for men.” (Colossians 3:23) Biblical work seeks to honor God, not men’s applause or our own profit. This addresses the attitude of our heart, why we do what we do. Our goal must be excellence for God’s pleasure. Proverbs connects righteousness with that which stays and wickedness with destruction. We can’t separate how and why we work from who we have gotten.
The Bible does value perseverance. Galatians 6:9 encourages us to not grow weary in doing good because God will reward us. We will reap what we sow. If our diligence aligns with Kingdom and biblical principles and we’re doing it from a pure heart, we’d encounter difficulties and hardships. However, hardship alone doesn’t mean we should always quit. Sometimes we must endure and trust God for the harvest.
At the identical time, biblical principles include being sensible stewards. God calls us to administer our time, gifts, and opportunities with responsibility and wisdom (1 Peter 4:10). God also calls us to rest; if something drains us of other responsibilities, it would mean we adjust or let go of it.
Either way, we must humbly submit our activity to God’s word, letting the Bible define success, goodness, and proper wisdom. This includes the liberty to walk away from anything contradicting his truth.
3. Has God Called You to It?
Building a bridge may be good and result in human flourishing, but am I particularly called to do it? Many roles serve and advance the Kingdom, but not every good thing is something I should do with limited time. God calls each of us uniquely inside the broader Kingdom reality.
He leads us personally by His Spirit. “My sheep hear my voice, and I do know them, and so they follow me.” (John 10:27) Here, Jesus doesn’t describe a far-off God giving us vague commands. He’s a Shepherd who speaks to sheep and leads them to good waters and fields. He can and can clearly direct our paths after we trust him with our hearts. Despite how difficult the trail may be, if he calls you to it, he’ll sustain you. He has a superb purpose in it.
The Holy Spirit each initiates and continues to speak God’s assignments. We must stay sensitive to his leading. In Acts 16, God had already called Paul to be a missionary. But as Paul prepared to evangelise in Asia, the Spirit stopped him and sent him to Macedonia. Paul obeyed, letting God adjust and redirect him. So we must reevaluate God’s leading. Is he still confirming this as my path? Do I still sense his conviction and peace in it?
We live in a world with countless options for careers, ministries, and causes. We could spend every waking moment chasing every opportunity and miss God’s true calling. Ephesians 2:10 makes it clear. God prepared good works beforehand for every of us to walk in.
So let’s ask God directly. Pray boldly. Invite trusted and mature believers to talk into your decisions. Then obey when he speaks, even when the road is tough.
4. Are You Trying to Control What Only God Can Do?
Sometimes our lack of peace in a situation comes from a humbling reality. We’re attempting to do God’s job. In our pride, we regularly seek to control outcomes when that’s not our calling. When we cross that line, we feature burdens far too heavy for us.
God alone changes hearts, controls consequences. Only he builds the Kingdom. Paul writes to the Corinthian church, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the expansion.” (1 Corinthians 3:6) Paul and Apollos did their part, their calling from God with their gifts and abilities. But Paul refused to take responsibility for the outcomes. He knew his part, and from his past, he knew the risks of non secular pride. As we ponder whether we should always keep on with something, we’d have to ask whether we’re trying to fabricate something lower than us.
We wish to see people modified and saved, as we should always. Yet in ministry or in God’s calling, we’d try to avoid wasting them reasonably than point them to Jesus. In a business, we’d try to control outcomes or compromise integrity for worldly success reasonably than trusting God’s provision. Psalm 127:1 says, “Unless the Lord builds the home, those that construct it labor in vain.” When we try and carry God’s part, we only get anxiety and frustration.
Even Jesus spoke and understood, some had ears to listen to, and people had the responsibility to actually listen (Matthew 11:15 and plenty of more). Jesus surrendered to the Father’s work and entrusted himself to God’s will (Luke 22:42). He did much teaching and plenty of miracles, but he didn’t force outcomes. He left the outcomes to the Father.
Our part is obedience. Consequences belong to God. Let us ask ourselves whether we’re staying in an activity because we’re truly called, or because we’re attempting to do God’s job. We should learn to obey and trust the loving Father with the outcomes. Let God be God. He’s the just one who can do this job.
5. Are You Faithful in Small Beginnings?
We often get discouraged because we put forth effort and see little or no results. The world celebrates big successes, people making tens of millions of dollars, constructing massive businesses, and mega church numbers. Not that God can’t provide these items, or doesn’t want us to have them, but he celebrates small beginnings, too. In fact, given the preponderance of biblical narratives revealing this, he might prefer them. He loves to start out with little or nothing (a barren woman, a virgin birth) and do amazing things through them. That way, God gets the glory. He creates from nothing.
In Matthew 13:31-32, Jesus compares the heavenly Kingdom to a mustard seed, the smallest, but when it grows, it becomes a tree large enough for birds to nest in its branches. He continues with one other parable, that of leaven in dough. That small portion changes the entire product. Quiet beginnings and regular growth result in expansion, producing everlasting fruit.
God called Abram, who didn’t have a toddler, and promised him a nation. He selected David, the youngest and forgotten shepherd boy, to be king. He sends his Son as a helpless babe in Bethlehem. The Savior of the world enters history in poverty and seeming insignificance.
Zechariah 4:10 asks, “Who has despised the day of small things?” God doesn’t, and neither should we. The small beginnings test our faith. They show whether we trust God’s guarantees or feel entitled to immediate results. God simply calls us to plant seeds, work the leaven within the dough, shepherd sheep in lonely places, disciple one person, write one other page, or serve one needy family.
To obey God is an incredible success. Small beginnings help humble our hearts. When something grows slowly, we learn to wish and rely upon God, listening to his voice above all others. We rightly recognize that growth and life come from God, not us.
Don’t let the small beginnings or lack of worldly success discourage you. Ask the suitable questions, and when you’re called to it, be faithful. He will reward.
CLICK HERE OR THE IMAGE BELOW TO DOWNLOAD YOUR COMPANION WORKBOOK FOR THIS ARTICLE.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Nick Fewings
Source: https://www.christianity.com/plus/featured-plus-pdfs/5-questions-to-ask-yourself-when-you-feel-like-giving-up.html
