Have you ever just wanted to give up? Will Rogers quipped, “The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking spaces.” 

A few years ago, after several consecutive days of conversations with friends and fellow church members who felt their world was unraveling, I sensed the weight of the many concerns entrusted to me. As is my pastoral practice, I withdrew to my study to pray, reflect, and seek wisdom for those navigating difficult seasons.

Many members of my community had suffered from the destruction of property due to storms, the loss of business due to an oil spill, the loss of family members due to a tragedy, or the loss of hope due to a toxic political divisiveness.

While I was honored to listen to their stories—privately and confidentially—I found myself wishing I could gather all of them in the same room and say, “You are not alone. Others in this room are also struggling. You can help each other through this.” And most of all, “In the toughest moments, do not give up. Press on!”

Since I could not bring such a group together, I recorded in my journal the words I wished I could say to them, weaving in real-life dilemmas shared with me (anonymously, of course). The following Sunday, I included those words at the end of my sermon and later shared them in our church newsletter.

Now, we find ourselves in another season where hardship weighs heavily on many, both in our community and around the world. Once again, I feel a deep, cumulative heaviness in my soul. As I lift these concerns in prayer, I realize that the struggles that send us into emotional or spiritual tailspins haven’t changed much. Life is still challenging. Storms still come. Divisiveness still threatens to undo us. Fear and anxiety continue to creep in.

But in every hardship and every circumstance, we are called to press on—with patience, perseverance, and faith.

The words I shared then are still as relevant today as they were years ago. May they encourage you in your journey:

Life is a fragile gift—often unfair, frequently unpredictable, and mostly uphill.
The journey requires faith, courage, and determination.
There will be moments when your commitment is tested and your motivation wavers.

When you are tempted to give up or give in—press on!
When life throws you a curveball and the unexpected happens—press on!
When you are weighed down by sadness or battling deep depression—press on!
When frustration rises because of the incompetence of a neighbor or colleague—press on!
When you stand at the foot of the mountain, facing the long climb of recovery—press on!
When you begin a treatment regimen that weakens your body but must strengthen your health—press on!
When exhaustion settles in, and you are tired of being tired—press on!
When your friends are difficult to deal with, or your family is hard to live with—press on!
When you move to a new town or start at a new school, feeling like a stranger—press on!
When loneliness lingers, even in a crowd—press on!
When the news is filled with gloom and doom—press on!
When your workplace is dominated by chaos or conflict—press on!
When you are tempted to settle for mediocrity or risk losing your integrity—press on!
When death or disease takes away someone you love, in the power of the Spirit—press on!
When life gets turned upside down, steady your nerve and stay the course—press on!

Circumstances can change quickly and none of us are exempt. The Apostle Paul reminds us in Philippians 3:14, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Maya Angelou counseled, “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. Please remember that your difficulties do not define you. They simply strengthen your ability to overcome.”

LL Cool J advises, “When adversity strikes, that’s when you have to be the most calm, take a step back, stay strong, stay grounded and press on.”

Pressing on doesn’t mean ignoring the pain or pretending everything is fine. It means choosing to keep moving, even when the path is difficult. It means holding onto faith when answers seem distant, leaning on the strength of God when our own runs out, and trusting that even the hardest seasons can be navigated with wisdom and courage.

No matter what you face today, know this: You are not alone. The valley will not last forever.

So take a deep breath, lift your head, and press on!

(Barry Howard is a retired pastor who serves as a leadership coach and columnist with the Center for Healthy Churches. He and his wife reside on Cove Lake in northeast Alabama.)