Quit Today, Lose Out Tomorrow!
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Mon, April 06, 2009
- Viewed 28
- (14) comments so far
Like when a friend of mine lost his job recently. Bad thing. Then, he found another job a couple months before his severance package was finished. All of a sudden, he had a brand new opportunity (AND a couple of months extra salary!)
Recently, my church was looking to hire for a new position. We were all ready for the final interview with someone we thought God wanted to bring our way. The only thing is… the day before the interview, the applicant called and canceled, saying he felt called in a different direction. That was depressing…. UNTIL we interviewed someone else last week that appears to be an even better fit than the first guy!
And how many of you, after having been raked over the coals by a big critic on Sunday, got to see the fruit of a new person accepting Christ on Wednesday?
As a church leader, there is always temptation to quit. And maybe, for you today, that urge is quite strong. But always remember the new person accepting Christ, the better fit for God’s plan, the extra month’s salary, and the winning lottery ticket. Because, quite simply… if you quit today, you very well may miss out on the payoff tomorrow!
Question for ya… what is your best ever example of, ‘if I woulda quit, I woulda missed this’?
Have a great week!
I saw a news story recently about a sixteen year old girl from Michigan who got struck by lightning on one day, and won the lottery the next day. Some could say that she had really bad luck (getting struck by lightning) or really good luck (living through it). I doubt that she would be really excited about getting struck again, or going to the emergency room again for that matter. But the very next day, her life got better… she won a small prize in the state lottery. As a matter of fact, she bought the lottery ticket the night of the lightning strike!
Ever have something really bad happen in your life, only to have something really good happen shortly thereafter as a result of it?
I see it all the time.
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Kermit P. Soileau on Mon, April 06, 2009
The best quotation I ever saw on this subject (and it isn’t from yesterday!): “In this state of things I saw no remedy but faith and patience. The passage of Scripture which subdued and controlled my mind was this, ‘The servant of the Lord must not strive.’ It was painful indeed to see the church, with the exception of the aisles, almost forsaken; but I thought that if God would only give a double blessing to the congregation that did attend, there would on the whole be as much good done, as if the congregation were doubled, and the blessing limited to only half the amount. This comforted me many, many times, when, without such a reflection, I should have sunk under my burden.” - Charles Simeon (1759-1836), Memoirs of the Life of the Rev. Charles Simeon, Pittsburgh: R. Carter, 1847, p. 26
Connie Borth on Mon, April 06, 2009
I have been working at a church plant, I left a full time youth pastor position to take a non-paid position at this new church. Basically I needed to be at the place where what I did actually made a difference, where people were drawn into relationship with Jesus Christ. A year and a half into this, I had opportunity to go to a few other full time staff positions. I was interviewing and excited about the possibility of becoming full time in ministry again. However, as I prayed through it felt strongly that it just wasn’t time to leave. A year and a half later (just this past week) I was hired full time at this church plant where God is moving and blessing and people are coming to know Jesus Christ on a weekly basis. It’s the perfect place for my family and I we are so blessed and loving it! So glad I listened to God and DID NOT QUIT!
Charlotte Wellins on Mon, April 06, 2009
I read your messages all the time and frequently pass them on to members of the consistory in my church. However, I will not be passing today’s on. In fact, I am appalled at the example you gave of a 16-year-old girl getting hit by lightning on one day (bad) and winning the lottery (good???) on the next day. First of all, it is illegal for a 16-year-old to play the lottery. Second, ill-gotten gain is never a good thing. And gambling is fast-becoming the greatest social ill of our society. (There are many estimates that there are 2 gambling addicts for every alcohol addict in the country.) Please read “Gambling in America” by Earl Grinols, a leading economist, if you want to be well informed in this matter. His very conservative estimate is that for every dollar brought in by gambling revenue COSTS our society a minimum of $3. I am an officer of CAGNY (Coalition Against Gambling in New York), president of NoCasino Thousand Islands, and a very active supporter of Stop Predatory Gambling, the national organization. Please think again about whether or not you think this young woman “won” anything. I can give you MANY cases of addicts of scratch-off lottery tickets who have lost businesses, homes, reputations, and families.
Todd Rhoades on Mon, April 06, 2009
Charlotte,
I bet my wife this morning that you wouldn’t like that story. Now if I could only collect.
Seriously though… don’t be so serious. I definitely wasn’t making a case that playing the lottery is good (any more than I was trying to make the case that getting hit by lightning is bad).
Just sayin…
Hope you’ll find my next writing to be more helpful.
Todd
Jon Weiner on Mon, April 06, 2009
My first ministry was at a small family church in a semi rural community. I was a city boy, fresh out of Seminary and was way out of my element. I also had poor leadership within the congregation and there was a strong “serve me. not Jesus” mentality within that church. Very frustrating. I almost quit ministry, but with the help of Godly men and advice, stuck it out. I just celebrated my 20th year in ministry - not in the same place, but serving the local church. There was nothing else I would have wanted to do, and I am glad to have stuck it out.
Peace,
Jon
Mark Babb on Mon, April 06, 2009
Todd,
While I agree with you that we often we feel like quitting, and shouldn’t, I believe your post missed the fact that sometimes God does call us to quit, to be available for something new and better (as you say in your article). There are times when if we don’t quit, we may radically effect our health (physical, mental, emotional), and even our life.
I have experienced both. The blessings of not having quit, AND the blessings of quitting and moving on. I believe we need to remember both.
Tye Male on Mon, April 06, 2009
Todd - It was nice meeting you at the Sticky Church Conference last week!
I wish I would have left the first ministry I was in WAY sooner than I did. At the time, I believed I was doing the right thing. Now I don’t. Yet, God’s is still sovereign and I had to let that go.
I wish I would have left my second ministry sooner than I did, but there again God wanted to take us through a deep valley so we could learn to trust him more and more.
I’m ok with both circumstances now.
Tye Male on Mon, April 06, 2009
My marriage. I’m glad I never quit, and I’m glad my wife never quit.
Dianne Berlin on Mon, April 06, 2009
We all get discouraged at one time or another no matter what our ministry or path. it is very disappointing to see gambling lifted up as something goo. Gambling is not only exploitive and predatory, it violates 2 of the Ten Commandments (coveting & stealing) and too many Christians are notorious for falling into the gambling interests’ propoganda that it is nothing more than entertainment. Gambling is theft whether or not there is a 3rd party acting in the bookie role such as our state, tracks, charities, etc. My own efforts fighting gambling have been long and while the fight goes on, the bodies and damages have piled up as a result of a totally preventable activity. The faith community needs to step up to the plate and exert holy boldness on this issue.
Did anyone else pick up on the age of that girl? It is illegal to gamble on the LOOTtery in Michigan unless one is 18.
Dianne Berlin on Mon, April 06, 2009
Forgive my typos. Should put on my glasses!!
Kevin M. on Mon, April 06, 2009
My best example of ‘if I woulda quit, I woulda missed this’
My first job as a pastor was working 1/3 time as a Youth Pastor in a small rural town. In order to survive I had to work another full-time job which ended up being the night clerk (12-8 am) at 7-11. After about three months of this, I was ready to quit. I hated it. Thankfully, I persevered and as a result I saw my boss and her daughter become Christian’s! Praise God that I didn’t quit!
John H. on Mon, April 06, 2009
In 2006 the church where I serve as senior pastor had 2 major splits along with terminating some church staff. It was about control. After many private meetings, a 3 hour public yelling at (business mtg), and the involvement of the local police, a private detective and outside council God said stay - you are not done. So I did. Since then we have seen many saved and baptized, led mission teams to Ukraine, Thailand, New Orleans, Kansas City and Peru. One year after the fight I was blessed to baptize an elderly man who before would never talk about faith. I buried him last week. I’m glad told me to stay. He knows best.
Glasgow Dentist on Tue, May 05, 2009
A good experience shared. Interesting and useful ideas to learn from.
Tony Myles on Mon, May 11, 2009
It would seem the reason we quit is because we don’t know how to effectively deal with success or failure.
With both, it is a matter of experiencing it and assuming it is a permanent feeling.
Ironic.
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