There are some phrases we all know that I absolutely despise.
Examples: "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." Hate it! First, teachers DO know how, that's why they teach. Also, that's a whole group of amazing human beings who spend their whole career caring for not themselves at all! I just hate that phrase.
Another: "Winners never quit, Quitters never win."
Until recently, I absolutely believed that and loved that phrase. I mean, not-quitting builds character! You have to teach your child to give something a try before quitting. Like baseball, or dance, or that community theater play. So, yes, to a point, that phrase is super useful.
Over-committing myself is a thing I do a lot. I never think I do, because I see all of my friends do, like, a bajillion things at once and I'm like "wow, what am I even doing with my life?" Not to mention that I'm kind of bad at saying "no" when someone needs something. A lot of situations, I work best when I'm going-going-going. However, when is it too much? And how do I fix it without being a quitter?
Recently, I dealt with this issue that was simply proving too much for me to handle. I didn't know how to deal with the situation, though. I didn't want to quit one of the things I'd started because then I'd be a quitter, and they never win. Plus, "if God brings me to it, He'll bring me through it," right? So, clearly, I just have to see this thing through. Even though I hate my time doing it. And I'm not invested. And I'm not enjoying myself. I just gotta see it through?
Well, after homework assignment on top of homework assignment piled up, group work became intense, my job became demanding, and this extra thing I was doing was continuing to go quickly, my life seemed to crumble a little. I couldn't deal with the pressure of everything.
But it's only two more weeks. God doesn't want quitters. I can do this. He'll bring me through it.
But also, what if I just quit the other thing? That extra thing that was taking up a lot of my time and I wasn't really super invested in anyway?
No, no, of course not. That would be unfair. Plus, God doesn't want quitters. He will see me through.
So, I prayed.
After two (what seemed like) mental breakdowns, it was clear what needed to happen.
I met with the friend in charge of the extra thing I was involved in to tell him that I needed to quit for my sanity's sake. Having played his reaction in my head countless times leading up to this moment, he shocked me when he was actually totally and completely calm in saying "I understand. You do you." After a hug from the friend, a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders.
God saw me through it.
There are times when quitters never win. However, winners sometimes just have to quit for their sake. We have this baggage on the word "quit" that makes it sound dirty and awful. But, really, in many ways, it can be freeing and great.
And sometimes God doesn't agree with those weird phrases we give ourselves. Sometimes God "seeing us through it," is different than seeing us through to the absolute end of it. I mean to say that God will always see YOU through YOUR end of it, but it's not always the same as someone else' end to it. And that's what's great about us and God. We are on different paths, and God knows that. He knows our path and our way because He has seen our journey. He's guided the way the entire time.
Isn't that glorious!
Woo!
Mary Taylor
Examples: "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." Hate it! First, teachers DO know how, that's why they teach. Also, that's a whole group of amazing human beings who spend their whole career caring for not themselves at all! I just hate that phrase.
Another: "Winners never quit, Quitters never win."
Until recently, I absolutely believed that and loved that phrase. I mean, not-quitting builds character! You have to teach your child to give something a try before quitting. Like baseball, or dance, or that community theater play. So, yes, to a point, that phrase is super useful.
Over-committing myself is a thing I do a lot. I never think I do, because I see all of my friends do, like, a bajillion things at once and I'm like "wow, what am I even doing with my life?" Not to mention that I'm kind of bad at saying "no" when someone needs something. A lot of situations, I work best when I'm going-going-going. However, when is it too much? And how do I fix it without being a quitter?
Recently, I dealt with this issue that was simply proving too much for me to handle. I didn't know how to deal with the situation, though. I didn't want to quit one of the things I'd started because then I'd be a quitter, and they never win. Plus, "if God brings me to it, He'll bring me through it," right? So, clearly, I just have to see this thing through. Even though I hate my time doing it. And I'm not invested. And I'm not enjoying myself. I just gotta see it through?
Well, after homework assignment on top of homework assignment piled up, group work became intense, my job became demanding, and this extra thing I was doing was continuing to go quickly, my life seemed to crumble a little. I couldn't deal with the pressure of everything.
But it's only two more weeks. God doesn't want quitters. I can do this. He'll bring me through it.
But also, what if I just quit the other thing? That extra thing that was taking up a lot of my time and I wasn't really super invested in anyway?
No, no, of course not. That would be unfair. Plus, God doesn't want quitters. He will see me through.
So, I prayed.
After two (what seemed like) mental breakdowns, it was clear what needed to happen.
I met with the friend in charge of the extra thing I was involved in to tell him that I needed to quit for my sanity's sake. Having played his reaction in my head countless times leading up to this moment, he shocked me when he was actually totally and completely calm in saying "I understand. You do you." After a hug from the friend, a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders.
God saw me through it.
There are times when quitters never win. However, winners sometimes just have to quit for their sake. We have this baggage on the word "quit" that makes it sound dirty and awful. But, really, in many ways, it can be freeing and great.
And sometimes God doesn't agree with those weird phrases we give ourselves. Sometimes God "seeing us through it," is different than seeing us through to the absolute end of it. I mean to say that God will always see YOU through YOUR end of it, but it's not always the same as someone else' end to it. And that's what's great about us and God. We are on different paths, and God knows that. He knows our path and our way because He has seen our journey. He's guided the way the entire time.
Isn't that glorious!
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." --Matthew 11:28
Woo!
Mary Taylor
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