“At the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
—1 Corinthians 9:24

There’s no failure in life, except in giving up. If you’re flirting with the idea of giving up, you will be throwing away your best future. History has shown that the greatest things in life have been accomplished by people who kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope.

Following is a story about a man who decided to give up on everything: his job, his relationship, even his God. But, before he jettisoned everything, he went into the woods to have one last talk with God.

“God”, he asked, “can you give me one good reason not to quit?”

The answer surprised him.

“Look around you,” God said, “do you see the fern and the bamboo?”

“Yes”, the man replied.

“When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light and I gave them water. The fern grew quickly and its brilliant green covered the earth. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But, I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the fern grew more vibrant and plentiful, but again nothing came from the bamboo.

“It was only in the fifth year that a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it seemed small and insignificant. But just six months later the bamboo rose to over one hundred feet tall. It had spent five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. In the same way, I do not give any of my creations a challenge it cannot handle.”

“Do you know, my child” God continued, “all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots. I did not quit on the bamboo and I will not quit on you.

“The bamboo has a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful. Your time will come to rise high”.

“How high should I rise?” the man asked.

“How high should the bamboo rise?”

“As high as it can?” the man replied.

“Yes,” God said. “Give me glory by rising as high as you can”.

The man left the forest, renewed in hope, convinced the tide would surely turn in his life if he didn’t gave up.

The challenges strewn along the paths of our lives are meant to test our mettle, to see if we’re made of stronger stuff. The moment you feel the greatest anxiety tempting you to quit is the perfect moment to keep on going. God never gives you more to endure than you can handle.

Never give up.