Sunday Message · Fountain of Grace International · Pretoria North

You Started Something and Gave Up - Here's Why You Keep Doing It

Name: You Started Something and Gave Up - Here's Why You Keep Doing It
Uploaded: 2022-06-12T12:00:00+02:00
Channel: Pastor Ricardo Zaal
Description: You Started Something and Gave Up - Here's Why You Keep Doing It

Most people who abandon their goals don't lack opportunity. They lack the stamina to push through the intermediate disappointments and labor required, especially when what arrives isn't exactly what they expected.

Pastor Ricardo Zaal · Fountain of Grace International, Pretoria North

You quit when the thing you got wasn't the thing you wanted

Prefer reading? The full sermon notes are below.

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This message is for you if:

You started a business but quit after the first rejection
You keep abandoning projects when obstacles show up
You delay dreams because you expect them to be easy
You need permission to work harder than you planned to

The Jacob Problem: You Worked Seven Years and Got the Wrong Thing

Jacob knew exactly what he wanted. He loved Rachel so much that he agreed to work seven years for her. The Bible says those seven years seemed like only a few days because of his love for her. He had clarity. He had passion. He had a goal.

Then came the Leah moment. On the wedding night, Laban switched the daughters. Jacob got Leah instead of Rachel. Everything he worked for looked wrong. He had every reason to walk away. The promise was broken. The wrong person was in the tent. He could have said, "This is a sign. I quit."

But Jacob did something different. He acknowledged the disappointment, then asked for what he actually wanted and worked another seven years to get it. He didn't abandon his goal because the intermediate reward wasn't perfect. He kept his eyes on Rachel.

Why You Stop When You Should Keep Going

You start a business and get rejected. That rejection is your Leah moment. It's not the thing you wanted, but it's proof you're on the right track. Instead of seeing it that way, you interpret it as a signal to quit.

You commit to a relationship and hit conflict. You expected smooth progress, but you got a puncture on the road. Instead of fixing the tire and driving to your destination, you turn the car around and go home.

You return to school and the first semester is harder than expected. You get a lower grade than you wanted. That's your Leah. It means you're still in the game, still moving toward your Rachel. But you see it as proof you don't belong there.

Three Rules for Actually Finishing What You Start

Rule one: Make sure it's something you love. If you don't love it, disappointment will kill it. Jacob loved Rachel. That's why seven years felt like a few days. That's why he didn't quit when things got weird. Your goal has to be worth the work, or work will break you.

Rule two: Everything else that comes will look like it's the real thing, but it won't be. A smaller salary is your Leah. A partial contract is your Leah. Rejection with an offer to try again is your Leah. These aren't signs to quit. They're smaller rewards proving you're still on track toward your real desire.

Rule three: The way to finish is to start, then endure the labor. Philippians 1:6 says, "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion." But you have to do your part. You have to show up. You have to work seven years if that's what it takes. You have to fix the tire and keep driving. Grace doesn't mean no work. Grace means power to do the work.

The Disappointment Is Not a Stop Sign

When you're working toward something real, disappointment is guaranteed. Not because you chose wrong, but because the world is broken and people are unreliable and timelines slip. Jacob was promised one daughter and got another. You were promised one outcome and got something different.

The difference between finishers and quitters is not the absence of disappointment. It's what they do with it. Finishers say, "This is not what I wanted, and I'm not settling for it, but I'm also not turning back. I'm going to work another seven years if I have to." Quitters say, "This is not what I wanted, so I'm done."

Every step toward your goal brings you closer to finishing. Every small reward-even the Leah moments-proves you're still in the race.

Why Your Past Procrastination Doesn't Have to Be Your Future

Pastor Ricardo waited 22 years to plant this church. He gave his heart to God in 2000. He knew what he was called to do. But he kept saying, "I'll do it next time. I'll do it next time." Twenty-two years of next times.

He stopped waiting because he realized the same delay was happening in the lives of thousands of other people. You want to start a business. You want to change careers. You want to go back to school. You want to repair a relationship. You want to give your life to God. But you keep saying, "Next time."

The message isn't condemning you for what you've already delayed. It's inviting you to start now. Not perfectly. Not when all the conditions are right. Now. Because the path from starting to finishing requires labor, disappointment, and more labor. The sooner you start, the sooner you can finish.

Grace Is Not Permission to Skip the Work

The sermon ends with prayer, asking for grace. Not grace to avoid hard work. Grace to do hard work with power. Ephesians 2:8 says, "By grace you have been saved through faith." But 1 Corinthians 15:10 adds the truth most people miss: "By the grace of God I am who I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that was with me."

Grace gives you power to work. Not power to coast. Not power to expect easy. Power to push through the Leah moments and keep walking toward your Rachel. That's what makes finishing possible.

"Every step towards finishing brings you closer to your goal, even the small rewards that feel wrong."
- Pastor Ricardo Zaal

Key Takeaways

Love Must Drive Labor Jacob worked seven years for Rachel and it felt like only a few days because he loved her. A goal without love will collapse under the weight of disappointment and work. Before you start anything, ask yourself: Do I love this enough to work seven years? Do I love this enough to fix the tire and keep driving? If the answer is no, choose something else or develop the love first. Love is the fuel that keeps you moving when the world tries to stop you.
Leah Moments Are Not Failure Signals The smaller rewards that show up-the partial success, the rejection with an invitation to try again, the salary that's less than promised but still moving you forward-these are not signs to quit. They're proof that you're still in the game. Jacob didn't quit when he got Leah. He acknowledged the disappointment, kept his eyes on Rachel, and worked another seven years. Your Leah moments are checkpoints on the way to your Rachel, not exit ramps.
You Have to Show Up and Do the Work Grace is power, not permission. God will complete what He starts, but you have to do your part. You have to start. You have to endure the labor. You have to fix the tire. You have to work seven years if that's what it takes. The gap between good intentions and follow-through isn't closed by waiting for things to feel right or for all the obstacles to disappear. It's closed by showing up and working, powered by grace.

If you are in or around Pretoria or Johannesburg, come and join us on a Sunday - these messages are preached live every week at Fountain of Grace International, 323 B Danie Theron Street, Pretoria North.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I should quit something or push through?

Ask yourself: Do I love this? If yes, keep going. Disappointment is not a stop signal; it's a checkpoint. Push through the Leah moments because they prove you're still on track toward your Rachel. Only quit if you realize you don't love it, not because it got hard.

I've already given up on something important. Is it too late to start again?

No. Pastor Ricardo waited 22 years to start the church God called him to plant. It's not about how much time has passed. It's about deciding now to finish what you should finish. Start again. The only way to finish is to start.

What does grace have to do with finishing what I start?

Grace is not permission to skip the work. Grace is the power to do hard work. First Corinthians 15:10 says the apostle Paul worked harder than anyone, but it was by the grace of God. Grace gives you the strength to push through disappointment, labor, and obstacles. You can't finish on your own strength. You need God's grace working through you.

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►Read Full Sermon Transcript

Have you ever wondered that whenever you buy a place and then the place is in a specific area, they have given you the address of the place, but the place is so far that you must judge your calculations. now once you have misjudged your calculations the chances of you getting to the time for the appointed event is because of your misjudge judging certain things actually happen and it makes things to be where you where you were not supposed to be there then you are you're getting there but by the time you realize that you were actually supposed to be there by nine o'clock in this case I'm just making an example but you arrive actually at 10 when you get there everything is finished whatever the plans was that you had that is now finished so this morning I want to come to you and I ask I want to acknowledge firstly I want to acknowledge each and everyone that will be listening to this that is listening to this whether you are in life i would like to also thank my family for being here standing with me especially the fact that i have everybody here that is supposed to be here and everybody that is that is is a reason why we are here so this morning let us let us start with a with a message um but firstly before i search i just want to briefly give you a background of myself. Now, I gave my heart to the Lord in the year to be specifically the 10th of February 2000, which makes it to be exactly 22 years, four months back. I gave my heart to the Lord. And from that day, I told the Lord that I will work for him but I will work in a different way a way that is specifically specifically meant for how I am supposed to love I'm not supposed to serve the Lord like you do I'm not supposed to serve the Lord or do certain things like you do it I am a unique being and therefore God has called me in a unique way And when I started at first I told myself that I would make it one day where I will be having my own church one day. And I will be serving God through that as a way of ministering to the lost out there. And I told myself that it will take me a few years to do that. But ever since I have not started anything. I kept on saying, I will do it next time. I will do it next time. But never has I decided I would like to do it. And therefore, God has called me to say, but isn't it the same thing that is happening to you that is happening to so many people out there? You say that you want to do something, but you don't do it. or you tend to try to do it but it never comes to pass and I'm sure you will agree with me this morning that there is things that is happening in your life you as a person that is one of the reasons why you are where you are today trying to do something but not getting it done so let me start off by giving this word now in philippians 1 verse 6 the bible say it's so nice being confident of this that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of christ jesus now how many of us has started a good work and have never finished it so this morning if you are one of them, this message is for you, because you have started and have never finished it. But I would like to bring out a few things to you. So this morning, I would like us to read also in Genesis 18. I mean. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. So, picture this. that you been working for this is now Jacob working for a wife after seven years after seven years working for a wife and then suddenly to realize that now Lavan is saying something else Now, my question to you is how many times have you started something and stopped it because of the same situation that is happening? Jacob was so in love with Rachel that he worked for seven years to get Rachel. But now it goes on. It goes on where it actually goes to a situation where Laban is now saying, all right, now it's time that you can get something. But the problem happens now where actually instead of now Jacob to marry Rachel. Laban now gives Leah. This is how it goes on. Laban said, it's better that I give her to you than some other men. Stay here with me. So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. Then Jacob said to Laban, give me my wife. My time is completed and I want to make love to her. But imagine, now you've worked for the wife, now it's time to give the wife. So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. But when evening comes, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob. And Jacob made love to her. And Laban gave his servant Zilpa to his daughter as her attendant. When morning comes, there was Leah. So Jacob said to Laban, what is this that you've done to me? I served you for Rachel. Didn't I? Why you deceived me? So in certain things in life is that you would like to do certain things. I'm just making an example. Some people might say, no, I want to start a business. Now, when you're starting a business, receiving will come. Reception will come a lot of times. So I would like you to understand that perception will come because this is the reason when you start something, how to finish it is in this message that I'm giving to you today. Number one is when you want to start something, make sure that it's something that you love, because if it is not something that you love, you will not... going ahead with it. You will not go ahead with it because once you don't love something, you will end up just leaving it. That's number one. Then number two is that you will get everything on your way that looks like it, but it won't be that. That's number two. Then you will be celebrated because of just as you are about to get something, Then the celebration stopped. That's another thing. Now, imagine you celebrating early just to realize, but it was not the thing that they were actually giving to you. Now, another thing is that if Leah was actually getting married to Jacob, it goes on that she actually now, because what happened is Jacob, Laban gave Leah to Jacob now. So Jacob was now given Leah and Leah got pregnant before Rachel as the story goes on. You will see as you read on further, but I won't get into that. But to begin with is firstly to make sure that it's something that you love, whatever it is, regardless if it is, let's say a new job that you would like to start, a new thing that you would like to do, anything that starts, you need to start by making sure that it will be something that you love. That's number one. Number two, it is that anything else that comes will look like it's actually the thing, but it won't still be the one. That's number two. And then as you are about to begin with something or finishing something, it is very important that when you start something, the way to finish it is actually to make sure that you do the first part of it. The first part of it is to start. Because if you don't start, you will not finish. And therefore, I've titled my message, Starting to Finish. So now picture this. Now you have Jacob working seven years for Rachel but find Leah It the same thing that will happen whenever you start something Sometimes whenever you start something it not a thing that you will get It might be something closer to that. But if you don't know what you are looking for, it might be something that you will go for. Like in this case, Jacob knew he wants Rachel. Regardless of whatever happened, he knew he wants Rachel. That's it. Finish in class. And therefore, when Lavan comes and gave him Leah, he said, no, no, no. I have not come for Leah. I have come for Rachel. And therefore, because of what he knows that he wants, that is the reason why he knew. He still has to go for another seven years. So what then happened is that he then went on to say, all right, I have already made up my mind. I want Rachel, regardless of whatever you are saying, I don't care. And imagine this. You now working, I'm just making an example. You get a contract where the contract says to you, your job is for argument's sake. I'm just making an example. In my case, I went to be a picker into the job I'm doing. Now, picker is somebody who takes the thing for the salesperson. And then for the salesperson, he actually then afterwards says, no, here's the stock. I mean, the salesperson says to the picker, this is the stock I want you to go and pick. me and I think we need to deliver. That is what I've started my contract on. By the time I get there, they told me, no, no, no. We realize we have something else for you. At that moment, you feel disappointed because you're thinking, but didn't I come for this job? Now I'm getting this job. But sometimes it is not like in my case. In my case it was a better type of a job if I can say that way Where I was supposed to be a picker I ended up being somebody who working and receiving and receive stock and then go and pack the stock. So it was a better one. But in the case of Laban, I mean, in the case of Jacob, imagine you settling for the second best, which in this case is now Leah. So your contract says, no, the contract says I'm going to be getting paid 1 million rent Then suddenly you arrive there, they said, but things are things, I don't want this one. But because of you being you, you end up saying, no, I don't want it anymore. Then you change and you go away, not knowing that they were actually having already set their mind upon you, knowing that they will just give you a three-month contract, and then after three months, they will put you up there. But some of us started something and therefore we don't finish it being the reason that what we got at the time after the seven years of working is not what you were looking for. Not knowing that you actually have to keep your eyes on the ball or on the goal that you want. In this case, the goal was Rachel. And the goal has always been Rachel since the beginning of the term. And therefore, Jacob then said, no, no, no, don't worry. I am a bit disappointed, but let me go on. And then he started working again. So when you want to finish, you need to understand that disappointment will come. Number one, disappointment will come. people will celebrate something else instead of the celebration that you are looking for. But you have to deal with the disappointment. Another thing is that you need to endure the labor. Because remember, when something that you want, something that you want, if you want it, you have to work for it. The unfortunate part is that I can't be saying that I love my wife, but not working on our relationship. That is not what it is. That is why when Jacob said, I want Rachel, he was so in love with Rachel that he didn care what happened from now up until then And that is why the scripture said it so nicely The scripture said it so nicely So I just want to go back one time. The scripture says it so nicely that Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, I will work for you for seven years in return for your younger daughter, Rachel. Laban says it's better than to give it to you than to some other men. because Laban knew what Jacob stands for. And because of the nicest thing that Jacob has already found favor by Laban. And therefore, Laban knew that Jacob is a better foot for Rachel. So this is what happened then. So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but it seems like only a few days to him because of the love for her. Imagine whatever you would like to have. If you want this, it doesn't matter a time frame. As long as you know this is what I want and this is what I'm going to get, regardless of whatever is going to happen in between, I will still get it because of the love that I have for that thing. So therefore, it's very important to understand that that is how you need to approach life. Then it goes on to say that as you are working, you will find that certain things doesn't add up, but it will be smaller rewards along the way. Now, how do you know how to finish? Is that God will give you smaller rewards to work towards what you have. You might have said, no, I want Rachel. And then I find Leah. So your Leah might be the smaller amount of salary that you get, but it is a reward to prove that you are still on the right track. I'm just making an example. Say, for instance, you want to go to Kimberley. Along the way, you get a puncture. Now, you can't stop because of the puncture and turn around, come back. it's the same thing then just fix the puncture and move on move further with your journey like the other time what happened is that we went to Carnarvon the way we hit the docks. Now, because we hit the docks and the car looked bad, we were supposed to turn around and come back. But because of our destination was Karnalavn, we actually saw it as just a minor step back towards where we're leading to. So therefore, today, as I'm sitting to you here, it is very important to understand that you need to actually start something, work on it, and then you will finish. Every step towards it brings me to finishing. And that ends my message for today by saying that Philippians 1 verse 6 says that being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1 verse 6, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. So therefore we are done with our sermon today. And I just want to ask this morning, if there is anybody that is here today, even when you are online, I see we have a few people online as well on Facebook, on YouTube I can't see how many exactly on YouTube but Facebook, it shows three so the people even online if you have a prayer request this morning that you have started something and you end up giving up because of things that came Leah instead of Rachel came your promise that they gave you has not come to pass I want to pray for you this morning And I am not going to ask you to lift up your hands or anything, but in your heart, you know that you have started something and you have not finished it because of circumstances. Therefore, I come to you now and I say, I want to pray with you. Even if you said I would like to give my heart to the Lord, I have started already going to church, but I decided not to go to do this anymore. You have started something, but you have not finished it. The English of Worte, but the Bible says that in certain things, it might have been that you have started something, but you have turned back and said, God, I am story. But today I want to turn back to you. So I would like to pray for you then this morning. Heavenly Father, I come in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, my God. This morning I pray for confidence to finish things, Father God. The confidence to make sure that whatever we have set our mind to, to finish that in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. This morning, my God, I want to ask you as well, Father God, that Whoever doesn't know what they would like to finish, also give them the grace, the Holy Spirit to teach them, to guide them, to know how to finish well. How to finish well and what to finish well. Because certain things we finish and it was not supposed to be the things that we were finishing. So we mess our time with trivial things that it doesn't add up to what our bigger thing is for the God. So therefore I asking Father God for the grace to finish this morning Father God the grace to see also what to finish in the mighty name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior And I pray also this morning Father God for those who would like to give their heart to the Lord Father God I pray that they will be touched this morning Father God in the mighty name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior And I pray also, Father God, for this ministry, Father God, this morning, Fountain of Grace ministry. I pray this morning, Father God, for where it started, Father God. Let it finish as well. and that is not just finish but finish a well of Father God in the mighty name of Jesus I ask for every member that has come up this morning Father God I pray for them Father God for each and every one of their for their hearts Father God wherever they need a hand from you Father God I pray in their lives now in the mighty name of Jesus our Lord and Savior I pray for a breakthrough in their lives as well my God in the mighty name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior for the grace, Father God, because you have given us grace, Father God, and every grace that you have given to us, according to your word, Father God, in Ephesians 2, verse 8, for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourself is the gift of God. So therefore, I pray, Father God, also for the grace that is sufficient for us, for your power that is made perfect in our weakness as well. So let that grace come upon us today, Father God, in the mighty name of Jesus as well as for the grace of 1 Corinthians 15, verse 10, which says, But by the grace of God, I am who I am, and his grace towards me was not in vain. On contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that was, but the grace of God that is, I mean, with me. So I pray for that grace, Father God, to come upon us today in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Now this time I praying also Father God for those ones that is at home that couldn make it now Father God to this life or to this service Father God so that they can see it next time And I also pray for any enemy that has come to destroy this service this morning by the means of certain ways, Father God. I come against this sentence now. I break it. I curse it. I cast it out now. in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Anything that is not from you, let it not hinder us from finishing strong, Father God. Let it not hinder us from finishing according to your grace now. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, I pray. Amen. Now, if you have been blessed by this service now, if you have been blessed by this broadcast, please share this link to your family and spend all over. And you will see there's a number. Any prayer that you need, any counseling that you need, there is a number on the screen. You can dial that number or call us on that number. In fact, WhatsApp is better because then you can say what you need to say and then on the WhatsApp, sometimes it's hard to speak up and if you would rather than have it to be written down, the number is on the screen. You can use that number and then send your prayer request. Or if you want a one-on-one counseling, you can do that in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. So we have come to this service and we say, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the sweet fellowship of the Holy Ghost rest and abide with us until Jesus comes now and forever. Surely goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our life and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever and ever. Amen. Thank you. Amen.