Things I Quit on Jan 10th, National Quitters Day

Did You Quit Yet?

We are so bad at keeping our New Year’s resolutions that quitting now has its own holiday. Seriously – it’s called National Quitters Day and it falls on the second Friday of January. This year it was January 10th.

When I first heard about this I thought, wow, they didn’t try very hard. And then I realized that sometimes it doesn’t take long to figure out when something is not for you.

Saul offered David his armor when he was about to take on Goliath, but David knew instantly it wasn’t a fit for him. He went into battle doing David.

Quitting is Okay

Two years ago, I tried to join my church in a one-year plan to read through the bible. I didn’t succeed. It sounded good, but eventually, I fell so far behind, I stopped. I did not stop reading my bible, but that plan wasn’t for me.

I thought I’d give it another try this year but with a different plan and app. It took all the joy out of reading my bible and left me with a Mr. Yuck feeling. And a while back I quit doing things out of religious obligation, things that make me feel bad about myself.

The Things I Already Quit this Year

I quit the “read through the bible in a year” plan – again.

It is a worthy resolution to commit to reading the bible. But my unique learning style might be different than yours.  James 1:5 tells us that if any of us lacks wisdom, we can ask God for some, and He will be generous in giving it to us and won’t belittle us for asking. He promises to give us all the wisdom we need. Ask God, He knows the best way for you to learn. Maybe that will be to join a small group and study the bible with others, or maybe this is the year you dedicate to reading the bible through. There is an App for that :-).  I like to start and end my day using the Christian App, Lecto 365 – and this is my current preference. But whatever plan you choose to study the scriptures, enjoy it.   

After being a pescatarian for six years, I quit

For the past two years, my energy has been lagging. Several times when I went to donate blood I was too anemic. My Dr. didn’t offer me a real solution so, I asked God for help. Now, twice a month I am slowly adding non-GMO, pasture-raised roasted Turkey and Lamb chops to my largely plant-based diet and am paying better attention to what I eat. I’ll keep you posted on my progress but it’s okay to ask God why.

I quit being hard on myself

We all fail. I am learning not to be hard on myself and to quit putting unrealistic expectations on myself or others. Now, I surround myself with a community that celebrates my getting back up. Instead of beating myself up, I repent, and they help me move on. We know God is a good Father. If a human parent can celebrate their child’s attempts and encourage them to try again when they fail, why do we imagine our loving heavenly Father doing less?

I quit feeling guilty for saying no

Saying yes to everyone and everything is not healthy. This year I am taking the time to examine why I feel the need to say yes. Is it for a healthy reason or an unhealthy one? I tend to be a people pleaser. I admit to wanting everyone to like me. But now I show up for the things I’m meant to show up for and kindly say no thank you when I can’t. It’s unrealistic to think we can be all things to all people or attend every function available no matter how fun that would be.

I Am a Quitter

Last Year I quit the following:

I quit trying to fix others

There is a name for this. Codependency. Take a deep dive into this word. There is a good chance you’ll find your name there. I had this definition all wrong.

I quit playing games

I am more honest in my relationships. It doesn’t serve them or myself when I play games. And when I screw up, I try to own it. I feel like a grown-up when I do. “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” Romans 12:18 (NKJV)

I quit making snap judgments

We say it: Don’t judge a book by its cover – but we do it all the time. I did it all the time. I read the bible and thought I had it all figured out – how life is supposed to work. Do this and get this result. Don’t do that, and be blessed, rich, and successful.

We learn the principles and parrot them to others without fully understanding the proper application of them. Proverbs 4:7 (KJV) tells us, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” When we don’t get understanding: our words bear no fruit, hurt our relationships, and we can look foolish.  Christian platitudes. “Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.” Proverbs 11:22. The operational definition of discretion is “the ability to avoid words, actions, and attitudes which could result in undesirable consequences.” 

Get Understanding

It doesn’t feel good to quit something but that’s part of the “getting understanding.” Have you ever entered a dressing room with an armload of clothing and left the store without buying a thing? We learned none of those things were right for us by trying them on. We can’t be afraid to try. The more willing we are to try something new, the quicker we will learn who God designed us to be. That sounds so simple. Sorry, but it isn’t.

Like David with Saul’s armor, I tried various ways to study the bible and learned I enjoy studying my bible topically. I like to choose a particular topic and go deep. Back in the 80’s I bought a Thompson Chain-Reference Bible and wore it out, had it rebound, and wore that out as well. Now it is too fragile to use. So, when I want to study a particular topic, I refer to the indexes in one of my Bibles, refer to my Strong’s Concordance App, or Google it up. This type of bible study fits the way I think.

Do the Thing You Know to Do then Run Wild

The world’s wisdom can offer us some practical advice. But for our souls to prosper, we need God’s word and the understanding of how to apply it to our lives.

One of my all-time favorite quotes is the one by G. K. Chesterton.  “And the more I considered Christianity, the more I found that while it had established a rule and order, the chief aim of that order was to give room for good things to run wild.”

David understood this and he slayed a giant.