How to find Hope when You feel like Quitting
I can remember like yesterday, in the hospital, ready to deliver my third child. She was coming so fast that I had no time for what I believe to be supernatural childbirth—an EPIDURAL!
To give you some backstory, I was kind of a professional at this baby thing. I mean, this was my third baby, I knew what to expect and how my body worked in the whole “birthing process.”
However, this birth was different. I had no signs of labor; no contractions, no pain, nada. When the doctor told me I was in labor, I was shocked. I checked into the hospital, laid in the bed and then something happened. My water broke, the pain came and the nurse told me two words that I absolutely did NOT want to hear—DON’T PUSH!
Wait, what? Are you kidding me? If you’re a mom, you know exactly what I’m talking about. When that baby is ready to come, you are ready to push. There’s no stopping it!
The room wasn't ready for Savannah’s entrance into the world. The nurses hurriedly went about preparing the room for her birth.
As I laid on that table, experiencing the most pain I have ever felt, I actually had these thoughts:
I don’t think I want to do this right now.
This is too painful.
I just want to go home, get in the bath and go to bed.
This is just too much pain.
Yep, I thought those things, but guess what? The baby came anyway.
That story reminds me of life and the dreams God places in our hearts. The process of delivery isn't always easy. I mean, come on, birthing is hard and sometimes painful, but it you are consistent and don't quit when it gets challenging, the baby will come!
Sometimes we don't like the process. My dear friend, Marcus Lamb, told me, “ April there is no progress without the process.”
When you are going through it, remind yourself that the process is necessary and vital for growth. It's in the process that we hopefully become stronger and wiser and less apt to crumble under pressure.
Whether you realize it or not, YOU WERE BUILT FOR PRESSURE! You really are.
It's when we allow our feelings to tell us “we can't handle it” that we get in trouble.
Proverbs 24:10 says, “If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn't much to you in the first place.”
Let me encourage you; Don't put feelings in charge of your life. Emotions come and go. Feelings change. But God's Word never changes.
One of my favorite scriptures is found in Acts 2:25-28(MSG)-David said, I saw God before me all the time. Nothing can shake me; he’s right by my side. I’m glad from the inside out, ecstatic; I’ve pitched my tent in the land of hope.
We need to get back in the land of HOPE.
Let me give you some great scriptures to get you back into HOPE:
Psalm 42:11(TLB)-But Oh my soul, don't be discouraged, don't' be upset Expect God to act.
Psalm 5:3 NIV-In the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation.
Psalm 130:5(TLB)-I wait expectantly, trusting God to help, for He has promised.
Hebrews 10:23(NLV)-Leet us hold on to the hope we say we have and not be changed. We can trust God that He will do what He promised.
Galatians 6:9-So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
Don't think about quitting. Remember why you started. Keep moving forward and remember: Better days are coming
April xo
