When tough times happen, never give up

“For though the righteous fall seven times, they get back up again…”

— Proverbs, 24:16

I looked at the inscription, “Never Give Up,” that the artist wrote on the bottom of the picture she gave me. It was a message I needed to hear at the time. I was dealing with things that felt like insurmountable hardships and I was ready to throw in the towel.

But I’m glad I heeded those words, or I wouldn’t be where I am today. It’s easy to say never give up. But when you’re in the heat of the battle and your motivation is waning and you’re feeling overwhelmed every minute of the day, it’s not as easy as it sounds.

What causes us to want to give up? Sometimes it’s because we’re burned out and need a break. But how do you get a break when you have to keep going?

I’ll give you a couple things that helped me. When you can’t take a long break try a short break; even if it’s for a minute at a time. I mean a minute not on your phone, but just sitting. You might sit by the window and look outside, or sit with your eyes closed. There were times I couldn’t sleep, but just resting with no activity made a difference.

Taking a brief walk, even if it’s just pacing back and forth for a minute, can stimulate you. From my nursing days, I learned exercise strengthen us. And minutes add up. Post-surgical patients start with a few minutes.

Staying well hydrated is important because dehydration causes fatigue. So make sure you are adding water to your day — even a few sips.

Lastly, listen to motivating stories. Like the story of Namaan in 1 Kings, chapter 5. Namaan had an incurable disease, but he had a wife who was hopeful. She sent him to see a prophet she knew from her past. Hopeful for a simple miracle, he agreed to see the prophet. But he became angry at the prophet’s suggestion that he dip in the Jordan River seven times. It wasn’t the quick fix he was hoping for. Besides, the Jordan River was muddy.

Namaan’s servants talked him into giving it another try. Scripture says he dipped seven times, and the seventh time he came up restored.

I like to believe that each time he dipped he was being somewhat restored, like those minute breaks I mentioned. Namaan’s small steps led to a big miracle. I’m glad Namaan knew to never give up.

• Annettee Budzban is a Christian author of the book “Letters To A Friend,” speaker, life and writing coach and nurse. She can be contacted at annetteebudzban@aol.com.