It was bound to happen eventually.
I didn’t really have much experience to go on, but it felt like maybe the honeymoon was over, like maybe I just want to give up already.
Like all new ventures in life, blogging was fascinating and exciting at first.
Every page view was cherished, every comment celebrated.
Some days I would check the blog first thing in the morning and last thing before bed. It’s the truth; I became just a tiny bit obsessed.
Maybe, just maybe, I even made an idol of it, to my shame.
Then somewhere along the line, the new thing stopped being quite so much fun and started to feel more like work, like just another burden to carry.
Some people may say, it’s just a blog – let it go! But it’s not “just a blog” to me. These words are part of me that I’ve put on display for the world to see. And there are these nifty little graphs that measure that part of me day by day by day…
And some days they just don’t measure up to what I’d like to see.
Even when they do measure up, no matter how high the bars of the graph reach, there’s this insatiable desire for more.
And the inspiration isn’t always there.
And busy schedules get in the way.
And sometimes…
I just want to give up.
Let’s be honest – it happens to all of us!
When that new baby comes home smelling so sweet, and everyone is exclaiming “how perfect”…
when that new job is so exciting that you just can’t wait to go to work, and people tell you how happy they are to have you there…
when that new ministry that you’ve been planning for and dreaming of finally comes to fruition…
when you make that purchase that you’ve been saving up for and it’s just. so. amazing….
when that mountaintop experience leads you to a faith-high that just can’t be matched…
Inevitably, a valley follows, and you just want to give up.
That perfect baby that slept so well in the hospital cries all night long, night after endless night.
That new job has its own set of challenges. That new ministry has flaws, too.
That new purchase grows old or outdated.
Thus the mountain gives way to a valley, and those feelings that had us on cloud nine dissipate like mist burned off by the morning sun, so we wish for more.
But friends, our lives are not lived just on the mountain tops. In fact, those mountain tops most likely add up to a very small part of our faith journey here on Earth.
The truth is that the valleys often naturally follow the mountains, not because anything has changed but because our physiology is built that way.
Our bodies cannot sustain a constant state of “high,” so we must experience a “low” to bring us back to equilibrium. Perhaps even more because we were not meant for this imperfect world, so we yearn for something better.
While I know that my faith isn’t meant to be built on feelings, as a woman emotions do come into play! How often I’ve wished those pesky emotions away even though I know they serve a purpose. 🙂
So what’s a girl to do when she just gets a case of the blahs and the honeymoon seems to be over?
What’s a girl to do when her daily refrain becomes “I just want to give up”?
She recognizes the valley for what it is – temporary.
She remembers that she is not a citizen of this world.
She blogs/serves/works/mothers anyways because that’s what God led her to do. She loves anyways, she trusts anyways, she clings to His promises anyways, she speaks truth anyways, she leads anyways, and she hopes anyways.
She keeps seeking.
Sometimes she even stumbles and falls, and she’s so ashamed of her weakness. But He’s right there to help her back up again.
Along the way, she learns a little more of the unfathomable depth of God’s grace. She grows a little more confident in an overwhelming, unconditional love. She grows a little more confident in His timely provision. She grows a little more confident in the work He’s doing within her.
Because He promised that one day, one glorious day, that work would be complete (Phil. 1:6).
On that day the valleys will cease to exist.
And the mountain top lasts for all eternity.
And we see His face.
“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Heb. 12:1-3
When we just want to give up, we don’t.
So we wait, like so many others before us,
And we do not lose heart.
Jen 🙂
Becky says
Such encouraging words Jen! I love how God just remains and brings us back to Himself after even the worst sin. I am thankful He is keeping you motivated to keep “keeping on”. In Him, we don’t faint, we don’t weary, we don’t give up like you stated. All because He… doesn’t give up! love you!
jstults says
Yes, I wrote this quite a while ago, but saw it again the other day and thought it was a good reminder – for all areas of life.
Love you, too! 🙂
Kelly Stackenwalt says
Timely, timely, TIMELY!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for sharing this!!
jstults says
Thank you for stopping by and leaving some encouragement here for me, Kelly!
Jen 🙂
Alisa says
Jen!!! This was soooo spot on!! God must really want me to get this lesson because He gave me a video to watch today that spoke of the same thing. Thank you for being real. I know many people will benefit from your words today. Sharing all over!!
jstults says
I’m so glad you found encouragement here today, Alisa! I wrote this a while back, but I needed the encouragement myself lately. 😉
Amy Christensen says
I completely understand this feeling Jen. I feeling like giving up, more often than I feel like keeping at it. And yet, always, when I start feeling that way, someone will say something to encourage me to keep at it. So I have to believe that it is something God wants me to do…wants us to do! Thanks for the encouragement! That means a lot. – Amy
http://stylingrannymama.com/
jstults says
Yes, God is so faithful to send encouragement at just the right time, isn’t He? 🙂
Alice Mills says
What helps me to keep going is knowing that God is so faithful. He causes the sun to rise each day.
Brittany says
YES! YES! YES! I recently experienced two of the highs you mentioned; a new baby and a new job. I was on top of the world until my sweet boy stopped sleeping for more than an hour or two at a time. Here we are coming up on his 2nd birthday and he is just now starting to sleep through the night. Oh, and that job I was so ecstatic over….it is now part of my past. God brought me full circle to where He needs me to be and is continuing to show me His plan. Thank you for this post!
Rebekah says
I loved this so much I just had to reblog. 🙂 Thank you SO MUCH for sharing. We all go through this at some point or another, but it’s so easy to give up. To think that we’re alone.
This post was definitely a shiny spot in my day. Thank you.
Commenting as part of my challenge at rebekahdevall.wordpress.com/challenge/
jstults says
Thank you, Rebekah! Yes, we are definitely not alone. 🙂 I appreciate the share and love the challenge you are doing. Could I kindly ask you to remove the photos from my post that you re-blogged, since they are my pin images? Thanks so much!
Jen 🙂
Leigh-Ellen says
I needed this today! Thanks for the encouragement!
Ameena says
Keep blogging.its being used by God.it spoke to my heart
jstults says
Ameena, you have no idea how much simple words like this encourage writers like me! Thanks for taking the time to leave me this message. I so appreciate it!
Jen 🙂