When to say "Enough!"

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven...a time to search and a time to give up."- Ecclesiastes 3:1,6

How do you know the right time to say, "Enough!"? How do you know when it’s time to hang it up and quit? Do you grasp the golden parachute, as they call a good retirement in business, or do you wait until they give you ten minutes to clean out your desk and a security guard walks you to the door and you are history?

In 1985, Tommy Lasorda, who managed the Dodgers’ inimitable baseball team for two decades, wrote his autobiography. He talked about the day he would have to quit. Eleven years later Lasorda, who was a dynamo of energy and a lovable dad as well as a very savvy manager, was rushed to the hospital with a heart attack. After several weeks of recuperation, with strobe lights flashing and TV cameras grinding away at the news conference, Lasorda said it was best both for him and the organization that he step down. His voice broke with emotion, and the great season of Lasorda baseball was over.

For Lasorda, a heart attack was a wake up call. It was a clear indication that it was time to put an end to an illustrious career. That it was time to play some golf, spend time with his wife, and enjoy the grandchildren.

"I’m not going to wait until I get fired. I’ll beat ’em to the draw," you say. Just a minute. A lot of people "jump the gun". They quit before it is time. They get hurt, annoyed, irritated and certainly, tired and tense. And they quit.

The following four guidelines will help you know when it is time to say "enough".

Guideline #1. It’s time to say "enough" when timing, not emotion, de- rives your decision. If your decision to quit is motivated by a personality conflict, by a single misunderstanding, or by a discouraging days, you are probably making a mistake.

Guideline #2. It’s time, when you see trends that are clearly established. Success is never final and failure is never fatal. There are seasons to life and having the good sense to know when they come is wisdom. A pattern clearly established is often one of the ways that God uses to help you know when it’s time to say "enough".

Guideline #3. It’s time, when your decision is confirmed by neutral, caring friends who will be honest with you. Talk over your option with someone who is neutral, and then carefully evaluate what he or she says.

Guideline #4. It’s time, when you openly and sincerely make the situation a matter of prayer, asking God to guide and make you sensitive to when the time has come.

Long ago God promised, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go..." (Psalm 32:8). That promise is still valid today. Is it too much to expect that God can give you personal guidance? Not at all. He should always be consulted when you are considering whether to say "Time’s up!" - Resource Reading: Ecclesiastes 3:1-12