One day I decided to quit...
I wanted to quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality...
I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.
"God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"
His answer surprised me..."Look around", He said.
"Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"
"Yes", I replied.
"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But
I did not quit on the bamboo.
In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But
I did not quit on the bamboo". He said.
"In the third year, there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But
I would not quit.In the fourth year, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed.
I would not quit." He said.
"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant. But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.
It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.
I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle." He said to me.
"Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots. I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you. Don't compare yourself to others." He said.
"The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern, yet, they both make the forest beautiful."
"Your time will come," God said to me. "You will rise high!"
"How high should I rise?" I asked.
"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.
"As high as it can?" I questioned.
"Yes." He said, "Give
Me glory by rising
as high as you can."
I left the forest and brought back this story. I hope these words can help you see that God will NEVER give up on you...
Never regret a day in your life.
Good days give you Happiness.
Bad days give you Experiences.
Both are essential to life.
Keep going...
Happiness keeps you Sweet,
Trials keep you Strong,
Sorrows keep you Human,
Failures keep you Humble,
Success keeps You Glowing,
But Only God keeps You Going!***
This story came very timely. At a place where I felt like giving up the race, at a place where I wondered where was the end, at a place where I started to question my own intentions... Myself... Someone sent this email to me. I cried, knowing that it came not coincidentally, but God-incidentally. He knew what I was going through, He knew my thoughts, He knew above all, the heart that I carried. He knew the weariness, He saw that I was about to give up. But He sent this to me, to tell me that
even if I gave up now, even if I gave up on life now, He would NEVER give up on me, He would still continue doing His work in me.
Sometimes in the race of life, we find friends running alongside us, pulling us up when we stumble. Their smiles keep us going for awhile. Then they start to run ahead, or they disappear.
It's when there's no one else around, and we are starting to slow down, or we start walking, or when we fall...
And we cry
"Jesus! Where are You?"And suddenly, our eyes open. Jesus is right beside you.
"I am here my Child, I had always been here. But you were to busy trying to run the race by yourself that you didn't notice Me."
He takes your hand, pulls you up. Suddenly, you feel refreshed. Suddenly, you feel such energy. He holds Your hand, and both of you start running. Life from the nail-pierced hands flows into Yours. You start running with Him. Each step you take feels lighter. You start feeling Joy radiate through you. You laugh as you run. The wind that you once hated because of the resistance it gave you, you love it now. Because of the feeling of freedom it brings as it hits your cheeks. As you keep running, you suddenly look up, the end is now in sight.With Jesus holding you now, you can finish the race.
But you don't just finish the race.
You finish it victorious.
You finish it enjoying it.
You finish the race, with Jesus right by your side. The race the race, I'm sick of life being called the race. I don't want to run it. You don't know the shit I'm going through. You don't half know the circumstances that I am in. I've trusted God for so long. The plans and the hopes, the dreams I have had in my heart, I've yet to see them fulfilled. You don't know what it's like to live a life where dreams never seem to come to pass. You don't understand what it's like to always feel like a loser compared to others. You don't know the rejections that I'm facing. You won't know how it is like seeing others so altogether there, and seeing my own life in a pathetic state.
Your life is perfect!
Is it really?
I was once painfully shy, feeling like everyone around me was laughing at me all the time.
I was once rejected by my own mother simply because I was a girl.
I once had my feelings cheated by someone I trusted.
But so what?
Jesus was rejected by His Father on the cross.
He was spat upon by His very creations.
He was looked down upon when He walked up the hill of Calvary.
The Saviour who was born in poverty, lived like a King, but died a societal reject.The problems that we face they are endless...
Pray in tongues.
Trust God.
Grace grace.
As He is, so are we.
Greatly blessed.
Highly favoured.
All these are good reminders. But at the end of the day, what
REALLY matters?
If you have to remember one thing when you are facing the wind, trying to find a breakthrough, what is it?
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (New American Standard Bible)
4Love (God) is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love (God) does not brag and is not arrogant,
5does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,
6does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
7bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8Love (God) never fails;God is patient... When you fail, when you keep making the same mistakes, when you insist on going your way... He is patient with you.
God is kind... Affectionate and loving towards you.
God is not jealous...
God does not brag, is not arrogant..
God is not self-seeking... He places your interests first.
God bears all things, believes in you, hopes for you, endures all your nonsense.
God... NEVER fails.
Because God loves you, you are able to pray in tongues.
Because God loves you, you can trust Him.
Because God loves you, there is grace.
Because God loves you, He went to the cross so that you are like Him today.
Because God loves you, you are greatly blessed.
Because God loves you, He causes everything around you to work towards your favour.
Because God loves you, you are deeply loved...
Because God loves you, He will NOT QUIT ON YOU...
Know that God loves you, and see if you still want to quit the race (:
Lord, I run this race not to finish it...
But to find victory at the end of it...
God You are my Inspiration to run the race with determination and drive...Lord, give to me my mountain...
"Give Me glory by rising as high as you can." 