Following Jesus When You Want to Give Up

If someone were to ask you what your biggest dream is, what would you say?

As a high school student, I knew the answer immediately: to play college basketball. Even though I was short, I was determined to play hoops at the next level. Since I grew up in a small town in the mountains of southern California, it was difficult to find a good pickup game of basketball. So to improve, I often practiced alone for hours in the morning, late into the night after practice, and even in the blistering snow. “Whatever it takes” was my attitude, and I loved it.

But when I got to college, I had an eye-opening experience. Other players were quicker, taller, and much more athletic than my high school peers. While I did make the team, I rarely played my first two years—and as a result, I nearly gave up. “Why keep working hard,” I reasoned, “if I’m not going to play anyway?” At this stage in my life, the cost of playing college basketball, even though it was my dream, was beginning to outweigh the benefits.

Is Following Jesus Worth It?

No matter how long you have been following Jesus, you have probably experienced doubt, uncertainty, and even anger at God. It’s normal to ask: Is being a Christian really worth it when the cost is so high? Like my dilemma with college basketball, you may have wondered if believing in Jesus is worth the continuing effort. Maybe you have felt like the psalmist who said, “But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled. My steps had nearly slipped, because I envied the boastful when I saw the well-being of the wicked.… Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure” (Psa 73:2–3, 13).

I remember feeling this way as a high school sophomore. Since I grew up in a Christian home, I had heard countless messages on saving sex for marriage. The consequences of ignoring God’s plan were ingrained in me since I was young. I knew the reality of sexually transmitted diseases and other consequences of not waiting. But as much as I knew these things to be true, they didn’t seem to fit my experience. Quite a few of my friends were having sex, but none of them (as far as I knew) had an STD, went through painful breakups, or were particularly miserable. In fact, many seemed quite content with their choices. I honestly wondered, “If my non-Christian friends seem to be getting along just fine without obeying God, is it that important to remain faithful?”

Embrace the Cost of Faith

For some people, believing and trusting in God appears to be quite simple. I am not one of them. Faith is not easy for me. In a world that emphasizes the present rather than the eternal, the powerful over the meek, and the visible rather than the invisible, I struggle to live for God daily. It simply isn’t natural to die to myself and to live for God. For the longest time, I thought I was alone—but when I began to read the Bible more carefully, I realized that many godly people struggled deeply with their faith.

David was “a man according to [God’s] own heart” (1 Sam 13:14; see also Acts 13:22). He was personally chosen by God to be the king of Israel because of his humility, strength, and devotion. Yet even David experienced doubt and desperation in his relationship with God. Even though he had done nothing wrong, David had to flee for his life from King Saul. While hiding in a cave, David cried out to God. David’s honesty with God amazes me:

I cry out with my voice to Yahweh;

I implore favor with my voice to Yahweh.

I pour out my complaint before him;

I declare my trouble before him.

When my spirit faints within me,

you know my way.

On the path where I walk,

they have hidden a trap for me;

look to my right and see.

There is no one looking out for me;

there is no escape for me;

no one cares for my soul.

I cry out to you, O Yahweh.

I say, “You are my refuge,

my portion in the land of the living.”

Attend to my cry,

for I am brought very low.

Deliver me from my pursuers,

for they are stronger than I.

Bring me out of prison,

that I may give thanks to your name.

The righteous will encircle me,

because you will deal bountifully with me (Psalm 142).

Yet, despite the honest outpouring of his heart, David remained faithful to God and the call placed on him to serve God and Israel’s king. David’s commitment in this circumstance continues to fuel my faith.

Another great example is Abraham. God chose Abraham—out of all people on earth—to be the father of the nation of Israel. God promised to make Abraham’s name great, to bless him, to give his descendants land, and to protect them from their enemies (Gen 12:1–3). Abraham chose to believe God through faith, and God “reckoned it to him as righteousness” (Gen 15:6). But then God asked Abraham to do something utterly confusing—to sacrifice his own son. The power of this command only truly made sense to me after I became a father myself. How horrific to be asked to take the life of my own son! What must have gone through Abraham’s mind? How could faith have made sense to him in that moment?

Almost every character in the Bible struggled with trusting God at some point. Joseph would have wondered why he was sold into slavery. The disciples questioned why Jesus was betrayed, beaten, and ultimately crucified on the cross when they believed He was the Messiah who would free Israel. Job wondered why, as a righteous man, he was experiencing such acute suffering. Similarly, you may have wondered why your parents got divorced, why a close friend betrayed you, or why you are in the midst of any number of other difficult circumstances. If so, you are in good company.

Even though faith may not always make sense from our human perspective, we can trust that our good God has a plan. He never let go of the steering wheel when David was fleeing from Saul, Abraham was on the verge of sacrificing his son, or Joseph was sold into slavery. This is why Joseph says to his brothers after revealing his identity, “As for you, you planned evil against me, but God planned it for good, in order to do this—to keep many people alive—as it is today” (Gen 50:20). It’s as if Christ is saying to us, “Trust me. I’m alive and with you in every situation. I will take your struggles and change them into blessings. I will take your suffering and turn it into joy. How can I do that? I’m the sovereign, almighty Lord of the universe, who can do all things and who causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose. So trust in me, no matter what.”

Think Long Term

Imagine putting a chocolate chip cookie in front of a three-year-old and asking him not to eat it. Could he resist? Some researchers did exactly this: Children were given a single cookie, with the promise that if they didn’t eat it for five minutes, they would be given a second cookie. While some of the children resisted the temptation, others simply couldn’t. The researchers found that the children who resisted the cookie at three years old were far more likely to succeed in school, relationships, finances, and their future careers. Why? The simple answer is that success requires delaying present desires for later gratification.

Esau encountered such a decision in Gen 25:29–34. Famished after a full day of hunting, he faced a difficult test: Should he immediately eat a bowl of his favorite soup but, in exchange, give up his birthright—which granted him the majority share of his father’s estate in the distant future? Esau settled for the temporary pleasure of a tasty meal. He lived for the moment rather than the future.

Ask yourself an honest question: In what ways are your decisions like Esau’s? How are you giving up long-term good for a present thrill? Think about your decisions with money, school, and even sexual purity. Are you sacrificing God’s great plan for you by indulging in temporary pleasure? Many of my friends who were sexually active in high school are now paying a heavy price. Some have been divorced, and others did contract STDs. Even though I felt like giving in to the pressure at the time, I am thankful that I had the strength and support to focus on the long term. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it. You may not feel like continuing to follow Jesus and doing the right thing now, but remember: “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and have not entered into the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor 2:9; Isa 64:4). It will be worth it in the end. Remind yourself: God will bless you in unimaginable ways if you remain faithful now.

Never Underestimate Your Impact

When I was a freshman in high school, the senior quarterback, Eric, said something to me I will never forget. One Saturday night I was hanging out with some friends. An older student—a lineman on the football team—came up to me while I was sitting on the back of my truck and tried to pressure me into having a drink of alcohol. He wouldn’t take no for an answer—but Eric came to my defense. He got right in the guy’s face and said, “Leave him alone. I’ve decided not to drink, too. Sean has inspired me not to drink. I’ve never seen anyone stand up so strongly for what he believes. So don’t pressure him.”

I had made a promise to my parents that I would not have even a sip of alcohol throughout my high school career, nor would I let someone who had consumed any alcohol get in my car. But I had never thought how my choices could influence someone else, let alone the captain of the football team. While this story worked out for good, I also have stories of when I failed to live up to what I believed. But this high school experience taught me a profound truth: We can have a powerful effect on people’s lives, even when we don’t realize it. Trust me—people are watching your life. If you live for Jesus, you will make a difference.

Never Give Up

As I look back on my basketball career, I am thankful that I didn’t give up. My last two years of college, I was part of two teams that went 28–6 and 30–7, with two visits to the national tournament. My senior year, I was fortunate to be a team captain. Had I given up too early, I would have missed out on incredible opportunities for growth and fun.

Similarly, as I look back on my spiritual life, I am so thankful that I have continued to follow Jesus. There have certainly been trials and temptations, but there is no doubt in my mind that it has been worth it. Keep the faith, and never give up.

Sean McDowell