when you feel like giving up

God is good and He is faithful. He will give you what you need.— Ruth Schwenk     When You Feel Like Giving Up by Ruth Schwenk, from In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake     I felt like giving up when I heard the news of my husband's cancer diagnosis almost three years ago. How would we go on? I didn't want to walk through this. It was too much. And suffering never comes at the right time, does it?   It's true that hearing the "C" word is like being punched in the stomach. I wanted to throw up. I remember pulling in to our driveway after getting the call on our way home from picking our son up. We sat in silence. Patrick remembers our son getting out and going inside, leaving the two of us talking and crying. Regardless, at some point, I know I hurriedly got out of the car and raced up the stairs to our bedroom.   It felt like a safe place, even if that safe place was just an illusion. My entire body felt like a balloon someone had just sucked the air out of. I went completely weak. Limp and lifeless. My mind was swirling. I was in complete disbelief.   Alone in our room, I googled blood cancer and collapsed to the floor as I read the word "incurable."   This happens to other people. Not us. How could this be happening to our family?   It was at that moment that I felt like giving up or giving in. Just quitting. It all felt like an uphill climb. An impossible task. I hadn't chosen this. This suffering had chosen us. And I would have done anything to get out of it. There was no going around this – only through it.   I was going to have to learn to persevere. To endure.   I don't know what your storm is right now. Maybe it's the loss of a loved one. Financial insecurity. An unfaithful spouse. Sickness. Or a miscarriage. But whatever it is, I am guessing, you too, have been tempted to quit.   Here's where I want to encourage you. And cheer you on. You can do this. You can make it.   With God's help, we can endure.   It's amazing how many times the Bible tells us to "be patient" or to "endure" or to "persevere."   When the Apostle Paul was writing to young Timothy, he told him be like a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer. He was telling Timothy not to give up or give in. (2 Timothy 2:1-7) When Paul was writing to the church in Corinth, he told them that when he was persecuted, his response was to "endure it." (1 Corinthians 4:12) Peter instructed Christians suffering wrong for doing what was right, he encouraged them to "endure." (1 Peter 2:20) And the writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus "endured the Cross" for us. We were the "joy" set before Him. (Hebrews 12:1-2)   There is no easy path. The journey is marked with pain. Our perseverance matters though. What God is doing in us and through us has value. The kind of woman or mom or wife we are being shaped into is of great significance. The harvest in our hurt has meaning. But only if we keep going. Only if we keep staying faithful, fixing our eyes on Jesus.   I wonder how often we miss out on what God has for us.   What do we never see or experience because we too quickly run the other direction? Is it possible we miss a future harvest because we are unwilling to endure a present hardship?   So here is what I would say on this side of cancer: Keep going! God is good and He is faithful. He will give you what you need. We must endure, or patiently persevere. Keep close to Jesus. Keep putting one foot in front of the other. This will not last. There is hope. There is joy. While we may never fully get over our pain, we can grow through it. And by God's grace, we can get through it too!   With you, Ruth Schwenk   Written for Faith.Full by Ruth Schwenk, co-author with Patrick Schwenk of In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake.    * * *   Your Turn   Have you been punched in the stomach by hardship and suffering? Do you feel like giving up? Keep going! Endure! Fix your eyes on Jesus! Come share with us on our blog. We want to hear from you. ~ Devotionals Daily COMMENT Share this devotion with someone who needs it today. Your storm doesn't have to sink you   Save over 60% off   In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake by Ruth & Patrick Schwenk SHOP NOW Softcover Regular Price: $18.99 Sale Price: $5.99 + free U.S. shipping with on orders of $30 or more at checkout At some point in our lives, we all find ourselves in a boat in the middle of a lake.   We might be there due to a job loss or the death of a loved one. Maybe disability, divorce, or financial insecurity has stranded us. Patrick and Ruth Schwenk found themselves feeling battered after five miscarriages and then surrounded by the waves with Patrick's cancer diagnosis at age forty-three. They were alone. Drifting. And that's when their transformation began.   As they unpack why Jesus called the disciples into the middle of a lake when dry ground was so safe and comfortable, they help us   understand why the depth of our hurt enables us to experience deep hope; learn to conquer fear to experience the freedom God has for us; and discover how God uses chaos, and not just the classroom, to shape and work through us.   Today — in your confusion about God's intentions, your disappointment over lost dreams, your disillusionment about prayer — God is offering hope. Because Jesus is still Lord over the water. And while He is not moved by the waves, He is moved by you. And this flood might just be a path to abundance. What people are saying about the book... "A powerful reminder that our current reality is not our final reality, and God is Lord over all chaos and suffering!" ~ Candace Cameron Bure, actress and New York Times bestselling author   "Through the pages of this book, Patrick and Ruth pastored parts of my heart that I didn't realize needed pastoring. We need voices like theirs in times of great uncertainty, and even in times of perceived security. Their words were a gift to me." ~ Sara Hagerty, author of Adore    "In a Boat in the Middle of the Lake is the lifeline you need. Full of personal stories and biblical encouragement, this powerful book will cause you to stop complaining, "Lord, get me out of here!" and instead calmly ask, "Father, why have You brought me here?" Highly recommended." ~ Karen Ehman, New York Times best-selling author of Keep It Shut, Proverbs 31 Ministries speaker, wife and mother of three Learn More and Save Want more from Ruth & Patrick Schwenk?   Save 45% off    Faith Forward Family Devotional: 100 Devotions by Ruth & Patrick Schwenk Regular: $16.99 Sale Price: $9.34 (45% off) + *free U.S Shipping on orders of $30 or more at checkout BUY NOW Learn More and Save     *Sale price ends on 05/31/21, valid through 11:59pm. FREE shipping with code MAYFS until 5/16/21 at 11:59 PM on U.S. orders, excluding Alaska and Hawaii.. Sale pricing exclude ebooks and audiobooks.   *eBooks and audiobook purchases are fulfilled by our partner, Glose. 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