January is halfway done. Are you ready to quit on your new goals? Or, have you not even made them yet? I like goals and I like lists, but I’ve not taken the time to do my annual list on paper. I have, however, already started making my goals in my head and have enacted them into my routine. Some of the changes have been hard, some have been a bit more time consuming than I imagined, and some have been pretty easy. There are days where I want to quit and go back to enacting nothing new into my life but I know that will get me back to the same place I was before.
One thing I’ve truly enjoyed, as of late, is the purposeful time spent with each of my kids. Before, it was time in the car and we’d talk, time playing games, time doing chores around the house: normal family time. What I’m talking about, though, is being purposeful about the time and quality of our conversations. My husband and I realize we have a limited amount of time left with our children. We not only want to impart on them good tools for making decisions, we want to impart on them the ability to learn wisdom on their own apart from us. There will be times when they want to quit and we might not be around and they will need tools.
I had a grandmother who had the faith of a child to me. She knew how to dream, she knew how to get on the ground and play with us, she crawled under the table while playing hide and seek, she punished me when I needed to be punished, she talked about God, and she loved me unconditional. This love extended to each of my siblings and cousins as we had the “club” with Grandmother. In this club, we could say anything and she would help us work through our problems and she would not tell our parents anything (at least not to our knowledge)! This time with her and with cousins allowed me to realize I had a support system that didn’t have to include my parents and immediate family. God had given me more than my immediate family. It allowed my viewpoint to switch from inward to outward. In other words, I had options when times got tough and I wanted to quit.
To whom do you run to when times get tough? The biblical answer, of course, is God. I want you to think beyond that answer and get real. To whom do you run to when you can’t take the hectic schedules, the busyness of life, the heartbreak of a family member, the death of a loved one or simply a tragic death? It might be your spouse, your parents, your best friend, or the greeter at church. These are the people God has given to you for the times when you want to quit.
Do you feel like quitting? Are you ready to give up on your newly founded goals? Or, does life have you so down that you want to quit? Turn to God and to the ones He’s placed in your life. Pray for them to minister to you as you need it right now. Pray for you to minister to them. Perhaps they are on the verge of quitting, as well.
Never underestimate the willingness of others to help you and that God desires relationship for us. Take a deep breath! Don’t quit!
© 2016 Susan M. Sims
Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net/ David Castillo Dominici
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Good article, Susan. As humans, I guess we are get a little discouraged at times, especially when we don’t accomplish our goals. Thanks for reminding us to not quit!!