Giving Up is Easy, Except When It’s Not

John and I went to vote. In case you haven’t heard, there’s an election happening. Big one…POTUS, etc. Anyway, it was the first day of early voting in Texas and we waited in line for 2+ hours. John got in and voted—no problem. Me—not so much. There was a “glitch,” and some lucky voters received ballots with incorrect voter precincts on them. That would be me. The kind poll worker told me that though my ballot printed incorrectly, I could still use it to vote— but only for candidates, and not any of the amendments. I politely told him I did not want to vote with an incorrect ballot. Once more he tried, and once more an incorrect ballot was printed out for me. So, my incorrect ballots were officially cancelled, I was reinstated as “eligible to vote,” and was told to come back “later in the week when hopefully the glitch will be worked out.” Honest to Pete, y’all, we should let the people at American Idol take over our voting system. They process a gazillion votes and never have a glitch. Just a thought.

Anyway – I was given a “pass” that would get me to the front of the line when I came back to vote. Which I did. On Thursday. It was a really full week for me, and I did not relish the thought of going back to vote. It was a hassle. It was inconvenient. Nevertheless, I was determined to persevere, and follow through on my commitment to vote. I wanted to vote. I needed (yes, needed) to vote; it’s my responsibility, and duty, as a citizen of this country that God has seen fit to place me in. I also happen to care about this nation and the generations after me whose lives will be impacted by the laws that are made in my generation. It would have been much easier to say, I tried, I waited 2 hours, but there was a glitch, and so I gave up. But I didn’t.

The line was long and I felt a bit guilty for walking passed everyone. I was apologetic, explaining the reason I was cutting in line. To my surprise, so many people responded, “Thank you for coming back to vote!” This time, everything went swimmingly… without a glitch!

Stick-to-ittiveness

I wonder how many people experienced the same debacle on Monday and gave up, deciding it wasn’t worth the hassle of coming back to vote. Giving up is easy to do when things are hard, or frustrating, or inconvenient, or we get a better offer, or we just get lazy. It’s easy to give up. We give up on people. We give up on marriage. We give up on commitments, on finishing that project, pursuing that dream, reaching that fitness or health goal, mending that relationship fence. Some of us have given up on our country, our government. It’s easy to give up on things when things are a mess. And some of us have given up on God—given up on pursuing Him, trusting Him, believing Him…because, well, we don’t feel He’s ever really come through for us, or because, like the disciples in John 6:60 who said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?” it’s just too hard to follow God.

Have you ever heard the term stick-to-ittiveness? I love this word. It’s the quality of continuing to try to do something even though it is difficult or unpleasant. It is also known as perseverance or tenacity. Stick-to-itiveness is dogged determination to see something through. It’s hard to stick with hard things. But there’s great payoff when we stick to it and persevere. We grow. We gain strength, endurance, and character… and maturity.

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. James 1:2-4, The Message

Giving up is easy— except when it’s not.

In my reading I came across the passage in Luke 14 about counting the cost of true discipleship—following Jesus. I’ve read it hundreds of times. Instead of breezing through it again, this time I slowed down and thought through it, deeply, prayed it through, and considered the implications of it in my life.

When Jesus calls us to follow him, he call us to give up—to give it all up for him. In fact, he tells us, “…any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33).

renounce: to give up, refuse, or resign usually by formal declaration.

Jesus calls us to give it all up for him—to surrender everything to him, and for him: all of our time, all of our treasure (our money and the stuff we own), all of our hopes and dreams, our careers, all of our pleasures and comfort, our friendships, family…all the things we love so much. Jesus demands 100% commitment, total surrender, giving up 100% of our lives to following him. He want’s sticky disciples— women and men like you and me who are sticky, who have stick-with-himness, no matter what. That’s hard.

He demands a lot, this Jesus. He shakes us loose from ourselves. His demands make us squirm with discomfort when our comfort is being shaken out from under us. Makes me think— Jesus’s comfort was shaken out from under him when he bled on the cross for my sin so that I wouldn’t have to. He gave it all up for you and me. He gave up his life… dying a death that triggered life, so that we could escape the wrath of God, and live with him forever in eternal beauty. And all he asks of us in return, is all of us. For we are not our own; we were bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20).

Something to Think About

So, how are you doing in sticking with Jesus…as his disciple? When look at your life, are you holding back some things from him? Are you existing with a little bit of Jesus along with the comforts of life? Or have you given it all up… everything, to get all of him, to follow him? Are you going after him unencumbered, untethered by the things of this world that delight our hearts but often distract us from him?

Take an inventory— think through your life. What have you given up to follow Jesus? Seriously— what have you given up. There is a cost. What has following Jesus cost you? Following Jesus has indeed cost me in many ways. But honestly, there’s nothing I’ve given up to follow Jesus as his disciple that has been as costly as my own sin and stupidity cost me in times I was not following him.

As the precious old hymn goes, I have decided to follow Jesus…no turning back. No turning back.

Let that be the declaration of your heart… of your whole life. I have decided to follow Jesus…sticking with him. No giving up. No turning back. No matter what.

One More Thing

Just a word of encouragement— if you have not voted yet, please do. People and personalities are short-lived, but policies can last for generations. I get it—the political stuff is nuts, it wears us all out; and some of us would just like to give up on it altogether and not make a political statement. But not voting is as much of a political statement as voting is. You don’t have to broadcast your voting preferences. But you really do need to vote. There are big theological issues at stake. So, vote. Vote biblically. Vote prayerfully. But please do vote.

LISTEN TO THIS: Here’s another great, 13 minute message, from Pastor T.A. at Watermark Church in Dallas… EXCELLENT, powerful, biblical, righteous and right on! BE ENCOURAGED!!

Until next week— don’t forget that you are greatly and dearly loved by The King! And let’s live our beautiful, ordinary lives like women who believe it!

I love you!
xo – P