“I Quit” – (Part Two)

This article is part 2 of 7 in the series I Quit

Why do people quit on each other and on church? Last week we began by looking at the loss of PERSPECTIVE. When we loose perspective, our problems become larger than they really are. It’s similar to holding a quarter up to your eye, and not being able to see past it. But if you hold it at arms length, it’s not so big.

Perspective, the ability to see things as they really are in relation to other things. It is the ability to discern, really see the IMPORTANT as opposed to the NOT SO IMPORTANT. When we QUIT over something, we are saying that this issue, this problem is SO IMPORTANT, that our family here at New Horizon, the unity we have, IS NOT WORTH IT. The next time you are tempted to walk away, TRY praying for proper PERSPECTIVE of the cross. The problem may be truly, NO BIG DEAL. (Read Ephesians 4:3 “Make EVERY EFFORT TO KEEP THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT IN THE BOND OF PEACE.” Question: Are you really doing that or not?)

People quit, walk away because of PRIDE. Some wise man said, “Pride goes before a fall”. PRIDE shows itself in many ways. (Pride is not always bad. We should have some pride in ourselves, and what we do, to have a quality in life or work.) However, when a person has too much of it, it leads to a fall.

PRIDE keeps one from admitting a mistake, it inhibits making a change to a better way or path of action.
PRIDE keeps one from trying to communicate and correct.
PRIDE keeps one from forgiving each other. Paul said, “FOR BY THE GRACE GIVEN ME, I SAY TO EVERYONE OF YOU: DO NOT THINK OF YOURSELF MORE HIGHLY THAN YOU OUGHT, BUT RATHER THINK OF YOURSELF WITH SOBER JUDGMENT, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MEASURE OF FAITH GOD HAS GIVEN YOU.”
PRIDE keeps one from listening, and considering another way, another thought.
PRIDE keeps you from growing. It will destroy a family and result in divorce, and will destroy a congregation.
PRIDE will seek to have ITS OWN WAY AND LEAVE WHEN NOT SATIFIED. Paul said in I Corinthians 13:4-8 about real love, that it “… is NOT PROUD, RUDE, SELF SEEKING, EASILY ANGERED…”

Man’s PRIDE put Jesus on the cross, real love FOR MANKIND kept Him there.

It is hard for God to fill a cup with His humility and power when it is full of self.
We are in dire need of humble hearts. Hearts that are truly seeking God. Humility that surrenders, bends the knee, raises the hands, cries out to Him. ‘Hearts’ that won’t quit.

Adelaide Pollard wrote that in 1902!
“Have thine own way Lord! Have thine own way!
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.
Mould me and make me, after thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.”

Perhaps Adelaide understood more than we do where the real power is. Until we understand it, growth is but a dream at best! “I QUIT” will continue to be a ‘tool’ to use to get ‘our way’. Instead of letting the Lord have His own way.

Dear Lord, I pray that You will help us to rid our lives of PRIDE that leads to division and strife. Help us Lord, help us! Help us run to You and with humility of heart, cry for You to fill us, make us, mould us, guide us in your ways. We praise You, in Jesus name, Amen.

 

Share Button

“I Quit” – (Part One)

This article is part 1 of 7 in the series I Quit

Jesus On The CrossHave you ever wondered what Jesus thought when things got difficult? What about when the critics came at him from everywhere? What about when his own disciples complained and argued? What about when His disciples were filled more with fear and doubt, than they were with faith?

What about when people were crying out for his own death, when he had done nothing but good for people?

Well I guess I could go on, but I think the point is made. Obviously, Jesus was not a quitter. He was quite the opposite, he persisted to the completion of his mission, no matter what. Sometimes he had to be blunt with people, (“…get behind me satan…” he said to Peter).

Jesus had to have a special focus about him to deal with everything he had to deal with. He invested time with his disciples, teaching them, correcting them, but never quitting on them. Why? obviously he loved them “to the end”. His eternal mission depended on them as much as it depended on himself. Without his disciples, what would happen to the church after he ascended to be with his Father?

His disciples likewise, had to learn to, ‘not quit’, even to the point of giving their lives for their Master. They had to grow, and mature. They needed some things… let’s take a look at some of these things briefly…

Why do people quit? Various and sundry things happen I suppose. One thing seems to stand out. Loosing perspective.

We surely get discouraged now, just as the disciples did then. Life is hard for sure. Quitting becomes easier when one gets tired, discouraged, upset.

When you consider marriage, it is much the same. Divorce (quitting) seems to come to people’s minds too quickly nowadays because people lose perspective. Little things become ‘big’ and big things become little without perspective.

How can we gain perspective? Well, life has taught (continues to teach) me, that some (perhaps many) things are NO BIG DEAL (NBD). The key is figuring which is a BIG DEAL and which is a BIG DEAL, and worthy of stopping everything, and dealing with it (ie confrontation). How do Christians gain perspective, and the discernment needed to see what is a BIG DEAL? I think, if we will learn to see things from the cross it will really help.

What happened on the cross? Well, Jesus, having been nailed to it, was then raised up, and the cross went into a hole with a sickening thud! Already he was beaten half to death, and mocked, and spit on, and slapped, and was so weak that he could not carry his own cross piece. Now he hangs there. Dying. In deep pain, exposed to the elements, thirsty, and every thing in his body writhing in anguish. Picture this and see him looking at you. Going through this just for you. Through his suffering and stripes, ‘you are healed’. Blood is flowing. He is getting weaker and weaker. All for you and I.

Having this picture in your mind… lay your issue at the foot of the cross. Now, what would he say to you? Answer that, and you are gaining perspective.

Somehow, our problem doesn’t seem so big a deal anymore. Maybe we even feel ashamed for getting so upset, or discouraged over it.

My encouragement is, before saying, “I quit”, think of Jesus on the cross, just you and the Master. Leave the scene with a renewed determination that you will not quit. Determine that foolish pride, petty disagreements, will not ever drive you away from Jesus or His people. Surely, this is part of growing in Jesus. Quitting and divorce should be forever put out of our minds, and has to be in order that we can grow.

Perspective…

 

Share Button