I quit!

For when I spoke, I cried out; I shouted, "Violence and plunder!" Because the word of the LORD was made to me A reproach and a derision daily. Then I said, "I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name." But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not. – Jeremiah 20.8-9

Jeremiah had had enough. He was trying to be faithful. He was preaching and doing God’s work. He did what God told him to do. But nothing was happening. No one was listening. The people continued in their sin.

So Jeremiah decided to quit. ‘I am going to stop talking about God! I won’t preach any more about Him. I quit.’

Isn’t that something? Jeremiah, one of the great heroes of the word of God said that He was done. He wasn’t going to preach anymore.

How sad is that?

He tried, but he soon found out that He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t quit. He couldn’t keep his mouth shut. God’s word was in his heart. It was like a fire burning in his bones. He was tired of trying to hold it back. He could not quit.

There is nothing wrong with getting discouraged. There is nothing wrong with feeling like quitting. Sometimes folks may even cross the line and stop.

It is what happens next that matters. Jeremiah dusted himself off and got back into the game. He couldn’t stay quit.

That is our test. It gets bad. We back off. We get lazy. We may even stop.

Then what? That is the question.