I Quit

To abandon an activity out of frustration or despair, give up

To quit is to stop doing something, or to formally leave a job.

To abandon an activity out of frustration or despair, give up.

To give up one’s position of employment; resign.

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Biblical View of Quit

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 1 peter 1:6-7 KJV

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I once found myself in a situation where I felt like stop going to church, but during a conversation with one of my sisters she reminded me of who I am in Christ, my mind flashed back to a proverb that said don’t quit when things go wrong. It also happened that during a conversation with a colleague of mine she verbalised a similar situation she encountered and was ready to quit but later came across a poster with the words “I didn’t”. There are times in our lives when we will feel like quitting, even though these can be times of great opportunities, it could be that moment when God is about to use our trials to help us grow. Our quitting point can be God’s turning point.

God’s servants are more times than not tempted to quit. Elijah had just experienced a real “high” he had just given the idol- worshipping Israelites an astounding reminder that the one true God will reign. God’s response to Elijah’s prayer had been an astonishing experience for all those who stood on Mount Carmel that day.

And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.

And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slew them there.

And Elijah said unto Ahab, get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.

So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth and put his face between his knees.

1st Kings 18:36-42 KJV

According to 1st Kings 19:2 tells us that a certain king and queen held power in Israel, Ahab and Jezebel, two of the evillest rulers ever to sit on the throne. Ahab and Jezebel already hated Elijah because of the drought, for which they held him responsible. Then, when Jezebel heard that Elijah had killed all the prophets of her god, Baal, she threatened to kill him

Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, so let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time 1st Kings 19:2 KJV

The scripture teaches that at that point Elijah ran away, he wanted to quit! After seeing God’s mighty acts. Elijah went on a lone trip into the desert, travelling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree. The Greek word for broom is σκούπα. Each broom tree is unique in terms of potential height and spread, broom trees can reach an optimal height of about 150cm when fully matured and can provide enough shade to shelter someone from desert heat.

This broom tree that is mentioned in the Bible is a type of flowering desert shrub usually identified as Retama raetam and is something that provides shelter and sustenance on occasion. The word “broom tree” translations are varying, the KJV and NASB call the broom tree “juniper”; other translations such as the ESV, CSB, and NIV speak of it as the “broom tree” or the “broom bush.” The plant mentioned in the Bible is a type of flowering desert shrub usually identified as Retama raetam. So, Elijah sat down and prayed that he might die. I have had enough Lord he said take my life.

But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. 1st Kings 19:4 KJV

There are times when we feel we have all had enough. We want to get away when life gets to be too much. God will lovingly care for our needs just as he provided food and water for his prophets. God will allow time for rest and refreshment so we can get up and get going again. That strength comes from the Holy Spirit. Because Christ didn’t quit on us, he is able to offer us the power of his resurrected life so that we will not quit on him.

There is a wonderful gentleness in the way God dealt with his exhausted prophet. It is easy to lose perspective when we are flat on our face under the broom tree. God did not rebuke or exhort Elijah but simply told Elijah that he knew that the journey was too much and that he understood. What spiritual provision at such a low point in Elijah’s life.

God tells us the same thing today:

Go ahead.

Take a break but use it to let God refresh us.

We can’t quit now; God has work for us to do.

When you feel like quitting: think about why you started.

Winners are not people who never fail, but people who never quit.

The moment we are ready to quit usually is the moment right before the miracle happens. Don’t give up.

May God continue to give us the strength we need to keep fighting the good fight and be able to stand in His presence at His coming to hear Him say “well done thou good and faithdul servant” all because we did not quit.