The Importance of Giving Up

  The Importance of Giving Up


Dedicated to everyone who casts him- or herself entirely on Jesus


The most important thing a sinner can do, is to come to Christ with absolutely no resources whatsoever.  Until we admit that we cannot do this life thing on our own; and that everything we have sought out as an object of fulfillment has not fulfilled us; and that we are totally destitute of any more ideas for how we can solve our problems--we will remain miserable lost souls.

 

. . . But, if, by grace, we come to God in Jesus Christ, in prayer; and cast ourselves entirely on him, admitting that we are at the "ends" of our "ropes"; and that we truly and finally "give up"--and then, by grace though faith throw ourselves on Christ and His mercy, we enter a new world we could never have imagined; and this new kingdom, thoroughly centered on Christ, reorients everything in us and about us.

 

The Publican, in the Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee, from Lk. 18:9-14, essentially came to God as one who had "given up" trying--even the "religious" things.  He knew he had no chance/no righteousness/no respectability/no societal standing/nothing.  So, what did he do?  He cast himself on the mercy of God; and then spoke the honest truth about who and what he was, (a "sinner").

 

When we sinners "play games" with ourselves and God, we brutally hurt ourselves; and we dishonor God.  When, by grace, we can be honest with ourselves and God, we will abandon ourselves to the mercies of God in Christ.  Only those who are brought to this honesty wholeheartedly ever do this.  Everybody else keeps "trying"--viciously beating one's head against the proverbial "wall."

 

Ironically, it is virtually impossible for us fallen sinners to come to this level of honesty apart from the saving grace of God.  We would rather live in futility; and continue "working" our way out of our dilemmas, than cry, "Uncle," and finally give up.  But everyone who is regenerated by the Holy Spirit, who is born again, who is redeemed, forgiven, adopted, justified, sanctified, and glorified--has been brought, by the Holy Spirit, to this point of simply "giving up."

 

I confess that this little treatise today is the afterglow and fruit of some counsel I gave a young man on the phone (just today).  His situation reminded me of what happened to me almost fifty years ago--when I was absolutely brought to the end of my wits; and, by grace, thrust myself onto Jesus as a lost and helpless sinner.  Thanks be to God, I have not only never regretted that day--I still marvel at the grace God showed me in His precious and priceless Son.

 

So, when we say "give up" in this brief missive, we do not mean this in a Stoic way, neither in an Eastern religion way.  We do "give up"; but we do not despair.  We "give up" on ourselves and any hopes of the idolatry of "self-fulfillment"; and we "take up" the cross of Jesus--only to find that, in Him, we have supernatural, heavenly, eternal, resurrection life.  That "life," of course, is the Person of Jesus Himself.

 

Are you finally exhausted, worn-out, "spent," devoid of any more ideas or options?  If so, you may be in the best position of your life--but only if you give yourself entirely to the true God in Jesus Christ His only-begotten Son.

 

Rev. Mark J. Henninger

Treatise #19

29 July 2025

https://theologicaltreatisesinretirement.blogspot.com

https://henningerdevotions.blogspot.com/

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