Most motivational speakers will encourage you never to give up, to hang in there and fight. May I suggest that plenty of things in our lives aren’t worth keeping? Maybe we should give up.
Give up your burdens. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
Give up your anxiety. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. … Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).
Give up selfishness. “As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:9,10).
Give up your life of sin. “‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin’” (John 8:11).
Give up your short-term view. “See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God” (Hebrews 3:12).
Give up loving Jesus halfway. “The Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).
Give up everything. “In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples” (Luke 14:33).
When you fail—and you will—thanks to Jesus, you get a fresh start. Don’t give up on giving up!
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About the Author
Linda Buxa
Linda Buxa is a freelance writer and editor and a regular blogger and contributing writer for Time of Grace. She is the author of How to Fight Anxiety With Joy, Visible Faith: Living a Fruitful Life in Christ, Dig In! Family Devotions to Feed Your Faith, and other Time of Grace books. Linda and her husband, Greg, have lived in Alaska, Washington D.C., California, and are now in Wisconsin. They have three pretty great kids who are all taller than she is.