Grit Over Quit: Persevering Through Life’s Challenges

Devotional

Day 1: Persevere and Do Not Throw Away Your Confidence

Perseverance is not about pushing harder when things are easy, but about holding on to your confidence in God when everything in you wants to quit. When you feel like giving up—whether in your marriage, your dreams, or your faith—remember that God promises a rich reward to those who do not throw in the towel. The journey may be long and the obstacles may seem insurmountable, but God is still writing your story and calls you to keep going, trusting that His promises will be fulfilled in due time. [00:33]

Hebrews 10:35-36 (ESV)
"Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised."

Reflection: What is one area in your life where you feel tempted to give up, and how can you choose to hold on to your confidence in God’s promise today?

Day 2: God’s Promises Stand Even When Progress Isn’t Obvious

Sometimes, like the Israelites marching around Jericho, you may feel like you are going in circles with no visible results, but God is working even when you cannot see it. The temptation to quit often comes when your perspective is limited to the obstacles in front of you, rather than the promise God has spoken over your life. Trust that God’s timing is perfect, and that your obedience and perseverance—even when progress is invisible—are bringing you closer to the breakthrough He has prepared. [14:13]

Joshua 6:1-2, 10, 15-16, 20 (ESV)
"Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None went out, and none came in. And the Lord said to Joshua, 'See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor.' ... But Joshua commanded the people, 'You shall not shout or make your voice heard, neither shall any word go out of your mouth, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout.' ... On the seventh day they rose early, at the dawn of day, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, 'Shout, for the Lord has given you the city.' ... So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city."

Reflection: Where in your life do you feel like you are marching without seeing results, and how can you shift your focus from the obstacles to God’s promise today?

Day 3: Don’t Grow Weary—A Harvest Awaits If You Don’t Give Up

God is often working in you before He works for you, preparing you for the victory and harvest He has promised. The process may feel long and tiring, but just as a mother waits for her due season, you are called to keep doing good and not grow weary. The promise of a harvest is certain, but it is conditional on not giving up—so keep sowing, keep believing, and trust that your due season is closer than you think. [18:09]

Galatians 6:9 (ESV)
"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."

Reflection: What is one “good” thing you are tempted to stop doing because you haven’t seen results, and what would it look like to keep going in faith this week?

Day 4: Persevere in Prayer—God Responds to Persistent Faith

Jesus taught that we should always pray and not lose heart, using the parable of the persistent widow to show that God honors those who keep coming to Him day and night. Even when answers seem delayed, God is not ignoring you; He is inviting you to persevere in prayer, trusting that He will bring justice and breakthrough in His perfect timing. The fastest way to see God work is to wait on Him, bringing your needs to Him persistently and faithfully. [19:37]

Luke 18:1-8 (ESV)
"And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, 'In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, "Give me justice against my adversary." For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, "Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming."' And the Lord said, 'Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?'"

Reflection: What is one prayer you have stopped praying because you felt discouraged, and how can you bring it persistently before God again today?

Day 5: God’s Grace Is Sufficient—Your Story Isn’t Over

No matter how many times you have failed, felt too tired, too hurt, or too ashamed, God’s mercies are new every morning and He is still writing your story. Like Peter, Joseph, and David, your past does not disqualify you from God’s future; His grace is greater than your weakness, and He calls you to pick up the towel and keep moving forward. You are closer to victory than you think—choose grit over quit, and trust that God’s faithfulness will see you through. [10:05]

Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV)
"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to receive God’s fresh mercy today, and how can you take one step forward in faith, trusting that your story is not finished?

Sermon Summary

Perseverance is a virtue that every one of us needs, especially in those moments when we feel like giving up. Life brings us to places where our confidence wavers—whether it’s in our marriages, our dreams, or our faith. The temptation to quit is real, but God’s Word in Hebrews 10:35-36 urges us not to throw away our confidence, for it will be richly rewarded. The journey of faith is not about never facing discouragement, but about choosing grit over quit, even when the path seems impossible.

We all encounter seasons where the dream God placed in our hearts feels too big, too old, or simply too hard. Stories like Elon Musk’s relentless pursuit of reusable rockets, Colonel Sanders starting KFC at 65, and Thomas Edison’s thousands of failed attempts remind us that perseverance is often the difference between failure and breakthrough. In our spiritual lives, we may feel too tired, too hurt, too ashamed, or too alone to keep going. Yet, the same God who restored Peter after his denial, who elevated Joseph from the pit to the palace, and who called David a man after His own heart, is still writing our stories.

The Israelites’ march around Jericho is a powerful picture of perseverance. For six days, they saw no progress, only the imposing walls. Their perspective was limited, and the progress was invisible, but God was working behind the scenes. Often, we focus on obstacles rather than God’s promises, and we’re tempted to quit when we don’t see immediate results. But Galatians 6:9 reminds us that we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Jesus taught His disciples to always pray and not lose heart, using the parable of the persistent widow. The fastest way to see God work is to wait on Him, to keep bringing our needs before Him day and night. Breakthroughs often come suddenly, after long periods of apparent silence or stagnation. The walls of Jericho didn’t fall on day one, but on the seventh day, after persistent obedience.

Whatever area you’re tempted to quit—your marriage, your dreams, your faith—remember that you are closer to victory than you think. God is working even when you can’t see it. Don’t throw in the towel. Pick it up, keep marching, and choose grit over quit. The harvest is coming if you persevere.

Key Takeaways

1. Grit Over Quit: Perseverance in the Face of Discouragement Choosing grit means holding on when everything in you wants to let go. True perseverance isn’t about pushing harder when things are easy, but about refusing to quit when the journey feels impossible. God honors those who keep going, even when their confidence is shaken and the outcome is uncertain. [01:09]
2. God Works in the Waiting Often, God is working in us before He works for us. The Israelites marched for six days with no visible results, yet God was preparing them for victory. Our progress may not always be obvious, but faithfulness in the unseen moments is what leads to breakthrough. Trust that God is moving, even when you can’t see it. [16:35]
3. Prayer is Perseverance in Action Jesus taught that we should always pray and not lose heart. Persistent prayer is not about wearing God down, but about aligning our hearts with His timing and purposes. When we bring our needs to God day and night, we demonstrate trust in His faithfulness and open ourselves to His speedily delivered answers. [19:37]
4. Victory is Closer Than You Think The harvest comes “if we do not give up.” Many give up just before the breakthrough. God’s timing is perfect, and the walls will fall in due season. Refuse to throw in the towel, because you may be on the verge of the very victory you’ve been praying for. [26:39]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:33] - The Temptation to Give Up
[01:09] - Struggles in Marriage and Life
[02:43] - Dreams That Seem Impossible
[03:09] - Stories of Perseverance
[05:22] - When Faith Feels Too Hard
[06:41] - Church Hurt and Shame
[08:30] - Silence and Feeling Forsaken
[09:35] - God Still Writes Your Story
[10:50] - The Israelites and Jericho
[13:03] - Why Are We Doing This?
[14:13] - Limited Perspective and Progress
[16:35] - Power in Perseverance
[18:59] - The Parable of the Persistent Widow
[21:37] - Waiting on God’s Timing
[23:48] - The Walls Fall in God’s Time
[26:39] - You’re Closer Than You Think
[27:21] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Hebrews 10:35-36 (ESV) — > Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

Galatians 6:9 (ESV) — > And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Luke 18:1-8 (ESV) — > And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’ And the Lord said, ‘Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?’”

Observation Questions

According to Hebrews 10:35-36, what is the reward for not throwing away our confidence and persevering?
In the story of the Israelites marching around Jericho (Joshua 6), what did God ask them to do before the walls fell? What was their response? [11:44]
In Galatians 6:9, what is the condition for reaping a harvest?
In the parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8), what did Jesus say about prayer and not losing heart? [19:37]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think the writer of Hebrews connects confidence with perseverance and receiving God’s promises? How might losing confidence lead to giving up? [10:05]
The Israelites had to march around Jericho for six days without seeing any results. What might God have been teaching them (and us) through this period of waiting and apparent silence? [16:12]
Jesus says in Luke 18:1 that we should always pray and not lose heart. What does this suggest about the relationship between prayer and perseverance? [19:37]
Galatians 6:9 says we will reap a harvest “if we do not give up.” Why do you think so many people give up just before the breakthrough? What makes perseverance so difficult in those moments? [18:09]

Application Questions

The sermon mentioned that we often want to “throw in the towel” in areas like marriage, dreams, or faith. Is there an area in your life right now where you feel tempted to give up? What would it look like to “pick up the towel” and keep going this week? [13:34]
The Israelites’ progress around Jericho was invisible for six days. Can you think of a time when you were faithful but saw no results? How did you respond, and what might you do differently now? [16:12]
The pastor shared stories of people who persevered through failure or discouragement (like Elon Musk, Colonel Sanders, and Thomas Edison). Which story resonated with you, and how does it challenge your view of perseverance in your own life? [03:09]
The sermon said, “God is often working in you before He works for you.” Where do you see God working in you right now, even if you don’t see outward results yet? [16:35]
Jesus taught that we should always pray and not lose heart. Is there a specific need or situation you’ve stopped praying about because you got discouraged? What would it look like to bring it to God again, day and night, this week? [21:57]
The pastor said, “You are closer than you think to the victory that God is going to give you.” How does this truth affect your attitude toward the challenges you’re facing right now? [26:39]
The sermon encouraged writing down what you’re tempted to quit and why you started in the first place. Would you be willing to do this exercise? How might remembering your “why” help you persevere? [13:34]

Sermon Clips

When you feel like giving up, has anyone ever been there where you felt like giving up? I think we all have. Let me share with you a Bible verse that really speaks to this and that says Hebrews chapter 10 verse 35 and verse 36. It says, so do not throw away your confidence because that's what happens when we're ready to give up. We throw away what confidence got us started. And why? Why do we not throw away our confidence? It will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. [00:00:10] (45 seconds) #KeepTheFaith

Maybe your dream isn't too big anymore. Maybe it's just too old. Oh, well, you know, when I was in my 20s, that seemed like a great idea. I remember some things that I journaled in my 20s, and now I would be embarrassed to read those out loud. Well, there's a guy, I don't know if you've ever heard of him. His name's Colonel Sanders. He started Kentucky Fried Chicken when he was 65 years old on $105 of a social security check. The dream wasn't too big. He was just getting started. [00:03:48] (43 seconds) #DreamsHaveNoAge

But here's what I know. That the same God who met Peter at the charcoal fire after he denied him three times is the same God who took Joseph's pit and turned it into the palace. It's the same God who called David a man after God's own heart. It's the same God who spoke all of this into being. And here's what I know. He's still writing your story. Wherever you're at. [00:09:35] (33 seconds) #GodIsWritingYourStory

So do not throw away your confidence. Don't throw in the towel. Don't give up. Don't quit. Because it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere. I think that that's Greek for choose grit over quit. So that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. [00:10:11] (28 seconds) #ChooseGritNotQuit

God is often working in you before he works for you. So, when we say, don't be weary in doing good, God is working in you right now, getting you ready for the victory for in due season. [00:16:56] (22 seconds) #CarryYourDream

So when you feel like giving up, persevere with prayer day and night. How many times have you brought something to the Lord one time and didn't bring it back in the next 30 days? You need to be like that widow woman day and night. Bugging God. God says, this is what I want you to do. And when you do that, you'll see God break through in your life. [00:22:01] (32 seconds) #TakeItToGod

Right now, you need to be. Whatever that dream is. Whatever God's put on your heart. Whatever you're ready to throw the towel in on. Take it to God. Take it to God. Say, God, if you don't help me, no one's going to help me. God, if you don't get down here and show yourself strong on my behalf, I don't know what I'm going to do. God, if you don't show up, people are going to start making fun of my walk in Christ. [00:23:12] (36 seconds) #VictoryInDueTime

You see, the Israelites refused to throw in the towel. I can imagine how hard days one through six were. I can imagine how infinitely harder it was on day seven. Because he didn't tell them that day seven was the day. He just says, do it. People refused to throw in the towel. And I want you to know that this promise isn't just for ancient Israel. It's for you today. It's for you and your marriage. If you refuse to quit, if you refuse to throw in the towel, there is a victory on the other side. [00:24:55] (38 seconds) #FaithOverFear

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