I Resign

Yes, you read it right. I resign.

But, before you think of anything, I am not doing an Abalos.

Remember the Purpose Driven Covenant I asked people to read in the English Worship Service on my first Sunday as an associate pastor of Makati Gospel Church almost three years ago? Time and again it’s good to remind ourselves of that covenant. Here are some excerpts:

“I’m tired of waffling, and I’m finished with wavering… I refuse to waste any more time and energy on shallow living, petty thinking, trivial talking, thoughtless doing, useless regretting, hurtful resenting, or faithless worrying… I won’t be captivated by culture, manipulated by critics, motivated by praise, frustrated by problems, debilitated by temptation, or intimidated by the devil.”1

Those are the things I have resigned and will continue to resign from. Some people think that to resign is to give up without a fight. But a dictionary entry shows that the verb “resign” can also mean “to give up deliberately or to renounce.” We have to be intentional. The fastest, easiest way to live a life of no consequence is to do nothing and wait for things to happen. However, when we decide to renounce that kind of unfruitful life, it will be a fight, an uphill climb. But, I tell you, it’s worth it.

The covenant goes on: “When times get tough, and I get tired, I won’t back up, back off, back down, back out, or backslide. I’ll just keep on moving forward by God’s grace… I cannot be bought, I will not be compromised, and I shall not quit until I finish the race.” Like Paul, I pray that some day we will declare, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7, NIV) But we have to renounce those things that would keep us from doing so.

Brethren, let us resign from “everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” (Hebrews 12:1, NIV)!

[1] From the website www.pastors.com. Copyright 2005 by Rick Warren. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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