Blog #36: Before You Quit…Don't
- E. ZeNai Savage
- 9 hours ago
- 3 min read
James 1:12 "God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”
I was recently interviewed, and my athletic background came up, prompting me to reflect on the hours and hours of practice I’ve put in over my lifetime. The thing about sports is: practice is preparation for the game. Not every drill, however, makes sense at the moment. For example, in basketball, everyone hated back-and-forth sprints. Long ones. Short ones. Sometimes five in a row. In the moment, they felt excessive. But when the game started, and you had to run up and down the court all game long, it made sense.
Other exercises felt even less connected. Like core work, planks to be specific. At the time, it was hard to see how holding a plank for two minutes was related to basketball. But strength builds endurance. Endurance builds speed. Stability builds agility. All that came in handy years later when I earned a scholarship to throw shot put and hammer in college: core strength became even more critical. What once felt random was actually preparation.
Now really, this is still how I approach life. I like things to make sense. Probably why I’m an accountant : 1 + 1 = 2. If I do this, then that should happen. I naturally try to connect my current situation to a future purpose.
But what happens when you can’t see the connection?
What happens when the hard things don’t seem to align with your plans?
Career setbacks.
Financial strain.
Relationship disappointments.
Health challenges.
Sometimes the season you’re in doesn’t look anything like the future you prayed for. And sometimes the path to that future is harder than you expected.
In the key scripture, James, brother of Jesus, writes to believers who were scattered and under pressure. He doesn’t pretend trials aren’t hard. Instead, he reframes them. In James 1:2–4, he tells us to consider it joy when we face trials because the testing of our faith produces perseverance. Perseverance matures us. It strengthens us. It completes us. Then in verse 5, he reminds us that if we lack wisdom, we can ask God and He gives it generously. By verse 12, James lands the promise: those who endure testing are blessed.
The Bible uses words like patience, longsuffering, testing, and perseverance. All the while, we are often praying, “How long, Lord?!” And sometimes, we don’t get an answer right away. We don’t always see the timeline. We don’t always understand the delay. But delay is not denial, and silence is not absence.
Endurance isn’t meaningless. It’s evidence of trust. It reveals love for God. And it leads to a reward.
Endurance does not mean the weight isn’t heavy. I’ve been told I carry things well and don’t look stressed. My response is simple: that doesn’t mean I don't feel the pressure. It means I trust God and I trust the process.
When things don't go as I've planned, I’ve learned to ask:
What can I learn from this?
Was there something I missed or misunderstood?
What needs to be adjusted?
What is God strengthening in me?
The hard thing may not make sense right now. It may be preparing you for what's next!
Scripture reminds us that God is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all we ask or think. Above what we can calculate. Above what we can map out. Above what makes sense. So don't limit God. And don’t give up!
Don’t abandon the process because it’s uncomfortable.
Don’t shrink just because it’s heavy.
Don’t shortcut growth because you’re tired of waiting.
The drill is building something.
The pressure is strengthening something.
The delay is shaping something.
God is not wasting this season.
If you endure, you will mature.
If you persevere, you will be prepared.
If you trust, you will be positioned.
You’re not just surviving this season.
You’re being built for what’s next.
Don’t quit.
Stay faithful | Stay disciplined | Stay aligned
Live Blurred,
ZeNai
Reflection
What current challenge feels disconnected from the future you believe God has promised?
Where might God be building endurance in you right now?
Have you asked God for wisdom in this season — or just relief?
What would it look like to stay aligned instead of choosing what’s easier?
If this season is preparation, what might it be preparing you for?
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