I Want To Quit

​Jeremiah wanted to quit his ministry due to severe persecution and frustration, but he could not stop because God's message was like a "burning fire shut up in his bones.” The specific verse detailing this inner struggle is Jeremiah 20:9, where he explains that holding in God's word was impossible, preventing him from resigning.

​Jeremiah was not a quitter, but there were days he wanted to quit. Read what he lived through over the course of his forty-year ministry, and you will understand why he wanted to resign. God gave him one of the toughest ministry assignments ever. The people and leaders of Judah routinely ridiculed his messages. Family members and friends from his hometown of Anathoth plotted to kill him. He was brutally beaten up and imprisoned at the bottom of a filthy cistern. He lived through the siege and destruction of Jerusalem. Near the end of his life, he was force-marched to Egypt, where, as best we can tell, he died in exile. No wonder he’s called the “weeping prophet.” No wonder he wanted to quit.

While Jeremiah’s words about being tricked into service accurately picture his feelings, they do not accurately represent the facts. God had not deceived him about how hard his ministry would be. In fact, God spelled things out clearly when he called Jeremiah into service: “They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you” (Jeremiah 1:19). Jeremiah would be attacked; his ministry would be a fight.

As your pastors, we too must acknowledge God did not camouflage the cost when calling us into ministry. We have read Jesus’ warning to expect hostility (John 15:18) and Paul’s admonition to soldier up (2 Timothy 2:3–4). Still, there are times when we feel the cost is more than we can afford to pay. While we do not want to be a quitter, at times—like Jeremiah—we want to quit.

While I have not preached as long as Jeremiah or experienced anything approaching his trauma, I have known the same grace that sustained him in ministry. When I was ready to quit—when painting seemed preferable to preaching—God’s presence and mercy sustained me. His Word both comforted my soul and toughened it up. In subtle and sometimes stunning ways, he changed my situation or provided enough support to keep me going and renew my hope. I am deeply thankful God listens to our prayers when we feel like quitting. Even more, I am thankful his sustaining grace never quits on us.

Make Every Day Count

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