I Can’t Do This Anymore, What Should I do?

Have you ever thought, “I’m just not sure I can do this anymore?”

Whether it’s post-pandemic frustration, marital stress, or sheer exhaustion, EVERYONE hits the wall. And you can bet that when your emotions are on the edge, the devil is in your ear whispering not-so-sweet soliloquies…

“Maybe it’s time to quit.”

“Why even try when no one else seems to be.”

“How can people just walk away so easily?”

“I just can’t keep this up.”

When you’re down, you can drown in a swirling sea of negative self-talk. You starve your soul of the truth when you feed your feelings with destructive thoughts.

SO, WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU THINK YOU’RE THROUGH?

1. REVIEW – How did I get here?

“Let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the Lord.” 
(Lamentations 3:40, NLT)

So often when we fall into a pit of despair, we forget how we got there. The fact is, we often exaggerate reality when we get in our head. The devil whispers one word, and then we take it from there. However, things are rarely as bleak as we paint them.

When you feel yourself slipping into despair – HALT!

Examine the co-factors that are influencing your emotions. We’re the most vulnerable to discouragement when we’re:

• • • • • Hungry – not just physical hunger, but also spiritual depletion.
        • Angry – when we’re stressed, we make a bigger mess!
        • Lonely – frustration often leads to isolation which is the exact opposite of what we need.
        • Tired – sometimes, the most spiritual thing you can do is to take a nap. You’ll never find a peaceful soul residing in a weary body.

2.  RENEW – Act your way into a feeling, not the other way around.

“When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.”
(Psalm 94:19, NLT)

You cannot control what enters your mind, but you can control your response to it. Martin Luther, the 16th-century reformer, once said, “You cannot keep birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.”

Successful people are not those with a natural disposition towards positivity; they are people who decide daily to reject negativity and behave with productivity. Everyone hears the voices of doubt, discouragement, and despair. Some choose to act in accordance with their inner dialogue, while others choose to act in opposition to it.

But isn’t it hypocritical to behave in a way you do not feel?

No, it’s called maturity. Children are controlled by their feelings. Grownups get to choose their behavior.

3.  REDO – Fall back in love with your passion.

“Think about those times of your first love (how different now!) and turn back to me again and work as you did before…”
(Revelation 2:5, The Living Bible)

“For this reason, I remind you to keep alive the gift that God gave you…”
(2 Timothy 1:6, GNB)

Nothing reenergizes us more than when we are operating in our giftedness. Sometimes discouragement is a signal that we are working in our weaknesses.

God has wired us with unique gifts, passions, skills, temperament, and expertise. When we use them to serve God by serving others, we experience the joy of knowing that we are making an eternal difference.

While we will still experience the highs and lows, ebbs and flows, of real life, we will be better equipped to combat the voices with truthful responses.

“Maybe it’s time to quit.”
It’s always too early to quit. God put me here, and only He can relieve me.

“Why even try when no one else seems to be.”
Since when am I supposed to gauge my effort on others? I work for an audience of One.

“How can people just walk away so easily?”
Hurt people hurt people. Healed people heal people. Be the latter.

“I just can’t keep this up.”
It was never up to me in the first place. “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)