Don't give up.....
One day I decided to quit...
I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality... I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.
"God", I asked, "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"
His answer surprised me...
"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"
"Yes", I replied.
"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them.
I gave them light.
I gave them water.
The fern quickly grew from the earth.
Its brilliant green covered the floor.
Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.
In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.
And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.
"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed.
But I would not quit.
In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would
not quit." He said.
"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared
to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6
months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.
It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.
I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."
He asked me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots".
"I would not quit on the bamboo.
I will never quit on you."
"Don't compare yourself to others."
He said.
"The bamboo had a different Purpose than the fern.
Yet they both make the forest beautiful."
"Your time will come", God said to me.
"You will rise high"
"How high should I rise?"
I asked.
"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.
"As high as it can?" I questioned.
"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."
I left the forest and brought back this story.
I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.
Never, Never, Never Give up.
For the Christian Prayer is not an option but an opportunity.
Don't tell the Lord how big the problem is,
tell the problem how Great the Lord is!
When I got an email from ate tin I thought it was just one of those chain letters that doesn’t deserve a second look. But when I read this one the first time it struck a chord within me…I could relate to what the writer of this anecdote felt. The very first paragraph really caught my attention. It was like a loud bang on the door and I said “hey this was exactly how I felt a few weeks ago.” My world just seemed to be crumbling down all over me and I didn’t know how to piece it together again. It was such a sad and low point in my life because I couldn’t feel the support of the person I was counting on the most when I needed it so badly… And on top of that because of the personal problems crowding in on me it felt like life is not worth living anymore and no one was there for me. The feeling was exactly how the author of this anecdote described. I also thought of quitting from this life and everything…maybe it was also through the prayers of my trusted friends and my cousin that I was able to keep that thought out of my head. Maybe it’s because of their prayers and not my own because there were times when I doubted if God even heard my prayers…
Even though I doubted God and the pain and hardships that I was going through made it hard for me to see Him, it seems He was there with me all the time. Beyond the sad and painful times He has a reward for me, blessings that thank you wouldn’t seem enough. At this time I can feel all the blessings pouring down on me, especially in my work.
And today as I write this, it makes me teary eyed to think how close I came to quitting…Maybe it’s God’s way of making me a stronger person just like what is being said in this anecdote. I know that the hard and bad times are not over yet and there will be more to come…just the same I hope I don’t give in to the desire to quit.
For those who are having a hard time right now, take time to read this anecdote. I hope it inspires you as it has me.
One day I decided to quit...
I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality... I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.
"God", I asked, "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"
His answer surprised me...
"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"
"Yes", I replied.
"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them.
I gave them light.
I gave them water.
The fern quickly grew from the earth.
Its brilliant green covered the floor.
Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.
In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.
And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.
"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed.
But I would not quit.
In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would
not quit." He said.
"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared
to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6
months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.
It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.
I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."
He asked me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots".
"I would not quit on the bamboo.
I will never quit on you."
"Don't compare yourself to others."
He said.
"The bamboo had a different Purpose than the fern.
Yet they both make the forest beautiful."
"Your time will come", God said to me.
"You will rise high"
"How high should I rise?"
I asked.
"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.
"As high as it can?" I questioned.
"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."
I left the forest and brought back this story.
I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.
Never, Never, Never Give up.
For the Christian Prayer is not an option but an opportunity.
Don't tell the Lord how big the problem is,
tell the problem how Great the Lord is!
When I got an email from ate tin I thought it was just one of those chain letters that doesn’t deserve a second look. But when I read this one the first time it struck a chord within me…I could relate to what the writer of this anecdote felt. The very first paragraph really caught my attention. It was like a loud bang on the door and I said “hey this was exactly how I felt a few weeks ago.” My world just seemed to be crumbling down all over me and I didn’t know how to piece it together again. It was such a sad and low point in my life because I couldn’t feel the support of the person I was counting on the most when I needed it so badly… And on top of that because of the personal problems crowding in on me it felt like life is not worth living anymore and no one was there for me. The feeling was exactly how the author of this anecdote described. I also thought of quitting from this life and everything…maybe it was also through the prayers of my trusted friends and my cousin that I was able to keep that thought out of my head. Maybe it’s because of their prayers and not my own because there were times when I doubted if God even heard my prayers…
Even though I doubted God and the pain and hardships that I was going through made it hard for me to see Him, it seems He was there with me all the time. Beyond the sad and painful times He has a reward for me, blessings that thank you wouldn’t seem enough. At this time I can feel all the blessings pouring down on me, especially in my work.
And today as I write this, it makes me teary eyed to think how close I came to quitting…Maybe it’s God’s way of making me a stronger person just like what is being said in this anecdote. I know that the hard and bad times are not over yet and there will be more to come…just the same I hope I don’t give in to the desire to quit.
For those who are having a hard time right now, take time to read this anecdote. I hope it inspires you as it has me.
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