Don't Quit
A study in the UK showed that over half of divorced people regret divorcing five years afterward. Another comprehensive study by Linda Waite out of the University of Chicago showed that couples who are close to ending their marriage are far more likely to be happy in the future by toughing it out and staying in it, than by giving up and divorcing. In her study, 80% of couples who said they had unhappy marriages but stayed married, described their marriages five years later as, “happy." 77% of couples who rated their marriages, “miserable,” but stayed married, rated their marriage five years later as, “very happy.” On the other side, the majority of people who divorced were no happier five years later, than they were in the days prior to their divorce.It’s often that way with jobs and careers as well. A high percentage of people regret quitting a job and later felt they moved on too soon. Those who are happiest in their work tend to be long-term employees, or people who stick with it when times are tough.I’ve never met anyone who said they were glad they dropped out of school, quit taking piano lessons, or stopped learning a new language.We quit on just about everything too soon. And we suffer for it.Where are you ready to give up? A friendship? Something you’ve been praying for? A job? Your marriage? Life?Don’t do it! Don’t quit! The margin between success and failure is often determined by the decision not to quit. My greatest failures were things I quit. My greatest successes were in things I almost quit, but didn’t.When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,When the funds are low and the debts are high,And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,When care is pressing you down a bit––Rest if you must, but don't you quit.Success is failure turned inside out––The silver tint in the clouds of doubt,And you never can tell how close you are,It may be near when it seems so far,So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit––It's when things seem worst that you must not quit!“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” –Ephesians 6:13 NIV