PUBLISHER’S LETTER
Have you read that Bible verse, “Winners never quit and quitters never win”? Good for you if you are asking, “Huh? That’s in the Bible?” It isn’t. While this popular saying certainly has a lot of motivational value, you won’t find it to be something that either Jesus said or God spoke. You’ll also likely not find “Quitters Always Win” on an inspirational poster in your gym. But maybe it should be. Let me explain.
When I ran cross-country in high school I learned how to push through pain. I remember one three-mile race. On the first of two laps I was in extreme pain as I passed by my coach. As I did he yelled, “Brad – QUIT IT! Get that look off your face.” Only a coach can yell such a comment and motivate you. I was eager for the race to be over. It would have been easy to quit.
Instead for the rest of the race I had a much better face. I wouldn’t call it a smile – the pain was still there. By the end of the second lap as I ran by my coach, going into the final stretch, he could see a look of optimism – of belief. That day I truly learned how to “face” my challenges. To this day, I can recognize when I need to get that look off my face and patiently have faith. Only God can call out to your spirit and give you vision.
City of Life Worship
City of Life
QUIT IT AND WIN
Jesus’ sayings often run counter to our popular way of thinking. Though THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE is a good read, Jesus leads us to live life with a spiritual mindset that is radical in a success-driven culture. For example he says, “Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.” John, a popular ‘preacher’ back in Jesus day seems to have understood this saying, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Most people don’t enjoy being patient. We’re culturally wired to pursue comfort and get quick results. Yet the Bible challenges us, “Run with perseverance the race marked for you. Fix your eyes on Jesus. For the joy set before him he endured the cross. Consider him who endured such opposition, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT
That isn’t in the Bible either. However, one Bible author described our struggle with self-will this way: “What I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. We have an obligation to live in the spirit. Hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”
Ready to quit that diet of healthy eating? Ready to quit that gym membership, that personal trainer, that group exercise class — that commitment to exercise? Ready to quit on you and God? What we really need to quit is self-destructive attitudes, addictions, fear, anger, resignation and anything else that isn’t of God. It is sin and we need to quit it. Sin quitters always win.
God uses your weakness so that you can’t depend on your strengths. Quit being defeated and grow with patience in His strength.
Train strong in Christ,
-Brad Bloom
