If You Are Thinking about Resigning

I am not in your situation. I don't know how tough it has been on you. I don't know the forces that have marshaled themselves against you. I don't know the strain you and your family is under. I can't give you adequate advise because I know none of the details of what you are going through.

However, I can tell you that I have gone through some tough times. I can tell you that I have been offered an opportunity to resign from a position and chose not to. I can tell you that I have been desperate for the Lord to rescue me from the position He called me to. I can tell you how hard it is to continue on when resignation would be much simpler and seems the most logical thing to do. I know that  resignation is the right decision some times.

But please consider these words before you resign.

Elijah had whipped the prophets of Baal hands down. He had ordered that their execution. He had opposed the king and queen. He had prayed and seen God act in a drought, in a rain and in fire falling from heaven to light an altar on cue. He knew the power of God but was willing to die because the queen, Jezebel, had threatened him. So, he ran.

1 Kings 19:4 (ESV) ⁴ But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

Let's consider his struggle and see if it might be yours as well.

Elijah was tired. He had stood before the people, taunted the prophets of Baal, prayed for rain and ran for some distance from Jezebel. He was just physically tired. He needed rest. But his natural reaction is to resign. Maybe this was his body's own mechanism for ensuring rest. Resignation means there are no more responsibilities to fulfill. It means that you can walk away without thinking there is something else to do.

So, I say get some rest but don't resign just yet. If you must resign; resign when you are fully rested.

Elijah was emotionally spent. He had become a stench to the king and queen. The people did not necessarily listen to him either. He opposed the popular religion in the land. He prayed, as we do, knowing that we are asking for God's will but always afraid that God will do something we don't expect. We are always afraid God will take us through a new trial before He delivers us. He has hoped for the fire to light the altar. He has hoped for the rain to fall from heaven. He has done all this at the Lord's command but he has had to do so with faith. Faith can be very emotional; especially when our lives depend upon it. Then, for all of his faithfulness, he is threatened by death. His emotions had nothing left. He was completely faithful to the Lord and the people were still going to execute him.

So, I say remove yourself from the situation for a time. Take the vacation days you have coming. Get out of town so that you cannot hear the complaints and criticisms. You may still resign but, if you must, resign when you are no longer emotionally spent.

Elijah believed he was alone. He didn't ask the Lord to give him people who would encourage him. He thought that there was no one who stood with him He saw the people as lemmings who would follow the next best thing which came along. He saw no one standing up for him. He needed encouragement from godly people. He didn't see the use of continuing on if he was the only one who was doing so.

So, I say: find some godly people who will be your encouragement. These are people who will pray for you. They will encourage you. You may still resign but you will have a support system for what you are doing.

These are three very hard things to do when there are people seeking your demise. Each and every one of these things can be used against you by those who oppose you. They will not understand your time off, your retreating from the situation or your sharing of your situation with others. They will say that you are lazy, emotionally unstable and a gossip.

You, however, must return to the very core of your faith. You must love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. You must love the people like the Lord loves the people. If you belong to the Lord you will come to Him. You will still obey. If He says, "Resign," walk out and close that door because the Lord has commanded it. If He says, "Stay," make sure you are fully equipped each day for a long haul. You will need to seek Him like never before.

There is only one question you must answer: "Does the Lord want me to resign?" Well, does He?

(Please forward this to a pastor or someone whom the Lord is using who is going through a difficult time. Most ministers go through a time like Elijah did at some time in their ministry. Most godly people will have this happen to them even if they aren't in the professional ministry. Remember that Paul said to Timothy: 2 Timothy 3:12 (ESV) ¹² Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, )