Florence Chadwick was the first woman to swim across the English Channel both ways. In 1952, she challenged the channel again. Alongside her in a small boat was her mother. After 15 hours in the water, she was exhausted physically and mentally, and the boat was in a dense fog. She told her mother she could not go on and tried to get out of the water. Her mother encouraged her to stay in the water and to continue, but she was exhausted and refused to go on.
She climbed out of the water and got into the boat. Just after getting into the boat the fog began to dissipate and within minutes it lifted completely, and she could see clearly. To her dismay she saw the English shoreline less than one mile away. She knew immediately had she not gotten out of the water she could have finished the race. But once in the boat her race was over.
Now Florence Chadwick had been in this position of discouragement before but had finished every race. She was a great champion, a great swimmer and a great person, but this time she failed, and she knew there was no recourse. There would be no way to reverse the consequences of this decision to give up.
As I read this account of this wonderful woman, I realized immediately the lesson to be learned: “It is always too soon to quit!”
In the Christian life, as in the secular world, when we find ourselves in a desperate situation, we either quit or push on. However, there is a third option to resolve this dilemma and believe it or not It comes from the United States Marine Corps. You won’t find it in any official manual, but it is often practiced in the field. It is called ” An orderly advance to the rear for reorganization and strategy.”
One of these days as a believer, you may find yourself in a similar position financially as did Florence Chadwick physically. You just cannot go on. You are exhausted physically, mentally and financially and you see no light at the end of the tunnel. And you are tempted to just disappear physically, and some men do this.
Years ago, a dear friend of mine did precisely that. He just disappeared with no trace and was never heard of again. Resist this temptation and take heart; you are not alone. This is all too normal in a person’s life. Look to God in prayer, claim the following verse and look for the way of escape. This next verse is “my go-to” verse.
"There has no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. " (1 Corinthians 10:13)
That way of escape may take several forms such as financial, physical, or emotional counseling or an appointment with your pastor. Believe me, there is a way of resolution, and the Lord wants you to find it.
Also, consider these two verses:
Psalm 32:8 " I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye."
Proverbs 3: 5,6 " Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
However, if you choose to solve this dilemma on your own, the first step is to sit down with pencil and paper and think through on the content of the mess and put it all on paper.
The second step is to make decisions based on what you can pay off or what you can throw away, etc.
And finally, the most important step is ” just do it”. Make a list and just do it! And you will smile in satisfaction!
And remember: “It is always too soon to quit!”