December 26, 2019
It’s Time to Give Up on Giving Up
Kathi Lipp
Today’s Truth
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7 NIV).
Friend to Friend
Maybe it’s when I get on the scale. Or when I see my walking shoes in the closet, where they have lived for the past two weeks, never seeing the light of day. Maybe it’s when I walk into my laundry room and see the piles (plural) of clothes that I swore I was going to get to this week. Or when I pick up a pile of mail that shamefully has been sitting on my counter for a month, only to find my even more-neglected Bible sitting under it.
“Loser.”
“Hopeless.”
“Pathetic.”
These are just a few of the many words that I have used to describe myself when, once again, I have failed at something I’ve set out to do.
Whether it’s losing weight, reading my Bible, avoiding the drive-thru, or decluttering my home once and for all, I have tried and failed more times that even I’m willing to count. (Another thing I’ve given up on. Sigh…)
And I’m guessing that I’m not alone in this kind of self-talk. We say things to ourselves that we would never even say to that bully (the mean guy at work, the meanie mom at our kid’s school) because we are so much more compassionate to the worst people around us than we are to ourselves.
When we’re in that place of being defeated and dejected, how do we summon the energy to keep on going? One. More. Time.
You are More Powerful than You Know
When I’m looking at making a change in my life, my mind immediately goes to all those times I tried to change before and failed. I immediately start to think, “What will be different this time? You are just doomed for more failure.”
But here is what I’ve learned about trying and failing: you learn something new in each attempt. You become better and stronger. And more importantly — you learn something new about God, about His love and His mercy every time you try, and it doesn’t come out the way you intended.
And, ultimately, you learn that God is more powerful in your life than you’ve previously given Him credit for.
You are Not Alone
If you talk to other women, and I mean really talk, you will realize that you are truly not alone in all this loneliness of giving up.
Yes, I know it seems like everyone around you is scaling new mountains, starting new diets, completing new projects, and just winning all over the place. What you don’t see are the women who are quietly falling, picking themselves up, and trusting God for another day.
Find those women.
Hang out with those women.
Be with the people who aren’t just showing you their mountaintop experiences, but also their pits. Women who are triumphing after they have tripped up are the women who will inspire you the most and help you keep going.
Let’s Pray
Dear Lord, Thank You for giving us power, love and self-discipline. As a loving Heavenly Father, You don’t expect us to be perfect on every attempt. You see us making progress, like a toddler taking her first steps. Lead us to women who’ll inspire us to keep going. Help us to pursue those things You want us to accomplish.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
What is one thing you can stop beating yourself up about today?
More from the Girlfriends
Looking find a kind and gentle group to focus on getting clutter free? Join us at the Clutter Free Academy Facebook Group to learn to live with less and increase the peace in your home.
Originally published Thursday, 26 December 2019.
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