Time to Quit?

by Ruth

Last week we were hoping to hear some good news on our adoption process.  We had asked the orphanage director to see if the adoption could be put through as an “emergency” case, as we had read an article indicating that Social Welfare headquarters in Ghana would consider them during the ban.

After checking, she found there is no way that she can get our case through at this point.   All she could really tell us is what the Ghanaian officials keep telling her, which is “be patient” and “it’s a national issue”.

And we find ourselves asking … is it time to quit?  We are up against some big odds.   If the adoption ban in Ghana is not lifted by mid-November, we will be out of time.

Do we hang in there another couple months?  Do we invest more time, effort and emotions into something that very well could not happen?  Has the door closed?  Is it best to move on for all involved?

As Mark Batterson says in The Circle Maker  - “We give up too easily.  We give up too soon.  We quit praying right before the miracle happens.”

In my heart, I know that I don’t want to give up right before the miracle happens!  That seems to be what this whole adoption journey has been about.  Don’t give up – keep praying – keep circling.  I have felt all along that we shouldn’t give up until there is a definite “no” or until God does the miracle and Frederick here.

And yet we ask ourselves the question … is it time to quit?

Yes, we are still praying our circle.  Every Saturday night, 5:30pm, in the prayer chapel at our church.

Feeling very discouraged after receiving the email from the orphanage director, God brought me to the story of Nehemiah and rebuilding the wall in Jerusalem.

It is a story of persistence.

Nehemiah had a dream.  To rebuild the broken down walls of Jerusalem.  He risked his life and his career to pursue it.

Along the way, he met with external opposition.  Was it time to give up?  Not quite … he prayed and took action.

He met with internal opposition.  Was it time to give up?  Not yet … he prayed and took action.

He met with negativity.  Was it time to give up?  Nope … he prayed and took action.

Almost finished, but no gates yet.  He was met with more external opposition.  Time to quit?  Not now … he prayed and took action.

Nehemiah 6:15,16  “So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty two days.  When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God”.

Nehemiah did not quit until the work was done.  The wall was rebuilt.  And everyone recognized that God had been involved –  and He got the glory.

What would have happened if Nehemiah had quit?

Is it time for us to quit?  No, not now, not yet ….