Honoring My Temple

You Are Closer Than You Think: Don't Quit Before the Breakthrough

• Kelly Wenner • Season 1 • Episode 14

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0:00 | 13:48

You Are Closer Than You Think: Don't Quit Before the Breakthrough

Have you ever felt stuck in your health journey — like no matter how hard you try, you keep falling back into the same habits, the same struggles, the same frustration? Like the goal you're working toward keeps slipping further out of reach?

In this episode, Kelly opens up about the moments we most want to give up — and why those moments are often closer to breakthrough than they feel.

We'll talk about:

Why most people don't need more knowledge — they need character transformation

The difference between justification and sanctification, and why it matters for your daily habits

What Philippians 1:6 actually promises about the work God is doing in you

Why discipline is slow, steady work — and why that's a good thing

How the enemy uses discouragement to pull you out of the water right before you reach the shore

What changes when you stop swimming alone

If you've been tempted to quit on a goal, a habit, or a healthier way of living, this episode is your reminder that you are equipped, you are not alone, and you may be far closer to the breakthrough than you can see.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." — Philippians 4:13

Connect & Go Deeper

SPEAKER_00

Welcome to the Honoring My Temple podcast. If you're looking to put God at the center of your life and live that out practically through your health, habits, and everyday choices, this podcast is for you. I'm Kelly Wenner, founder of Soul Strength Fit and author of Honoring My Temple. Here we explore biblical wisdom and how to apply it to real life, your mindset, food, exercise, and the habits that shape who you're becoming. Let's get started. Maybe one that feels out of reach, or something you've been struggling with for a long time. Maybe you've been feeling stuck, like you're not making the progress you'd hoped for, or like you're not getting anywhere at all. There is a gap between the person you are right now and the person you want to be, between the habits you have and the habits you wish were a regular part of your life. And that gap can feel discouraging. Without struggle in mind, I want to remind you of Paul's encouragement in Philippians 1.6, that we can be confident that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Or as the message version puts it, there has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish. And what is this great work the Lord has begun in you? It's not your justification. As a believer in Christ, you already stand righteous before God based on the finished work of Jesus. This verse is a declaration of confidence in God's faithfulness to finish the spiritual growth and ongoing transformation in your life. The good work being done is the Holy Spirit working within you to break the power of sin, to mature you in faith, and to make you more like Christ. And here's something important to notice. While our justification is entirely God's doing, a free gift, nothing we can add to or take away from, our sanctification is different. Sanctification is an internal, ongoing transformation. And it's God working in our lives with our active cooperation. It's the process of choosing daily to work out our salvation through obedience, growth, and walking in step with the Spirit. Paul says to work this out with fear and trembling. That doesn't mean being terrified of God's punishment. It means taking a posture of reverence, awe, and serious responsibility because our character transformation is a serious responsibility. So what does any of this have to do with that health goal you're working toward? Everything. Your character transformation impacts every single part of who you are. It shapes your ability to live in wisdom and self-discipline. It shapes your ability to consistently choose what is wise and beneficial. It shapes whether you act from impulse and in-the-moment desire or from a place of self-control and deliberation. Your health goals and habits are shaped by your character. And that's where the real divide lies. The divide between the person you are now and the person you want to be, the bad habits you struggled to conquer and the good ones you struggle to begin. The first step is wisdom, knowing the right and proper way to care for our bodies. But let's be honest, most people already have the wisdom. I can hand anyone a meal plan or a workout routine. Doing it is usually the problem. Most people don't actually need more knowledge. What they need is character transformation. That's what produces the follow-through. The ability to keep promises you've made to yourself, to avoid the foods you said you'd avoid, to eat the foods you said you'd eat, to get in the workout you know you should do, the ability to do hard things you don't feel like doing in the moment. That's why so many of us resonate with Paul's words in Romans 7. I do not understand what I do, for what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate, I do. Anytime we make decisions we consistently regret, it's an issue of character. And for so many people, food, eating, and health habits are exactly where that divide shows up. But here's what happens. In this area, like in any area where we're trying to change our behavior, we expect quick results. We want quick fixes, we want fast change. That's not how character transformation works. It's slow, it's steady, it's continuous. Every time you have the discipline to walk away from foods that don't serve your body, every time you choose foods that do, every time you get up for the workout you wanted to skip, or manage your schedule so you can actually fit in the habits that matter, you are growing in character. But sometimes the journey feels long and slow, and that's where we lose hope. When the goal feels too far away, when we can't see the finish line, that's where we get stuck. That's where motivation fades. That's where progress stalls. And that's exactly what the enemy wants. He wants you to lose hope. He wants you to quit. He wants to wear you down until you believe change isn't possible for you. He wants to rob you of the chance to grow in wisdom, self-discipline, perseverance, and self-control. He wants none of that for you. He wants you discouraged enough to give up. And the closer you get to a breakthrough, the harder he fights. Don't let him win. Let me tell you about a long-distance swimmer named Florence Chadwick. In 1952, she set out to swim 26 miles from Catalina Island to the California coast, a stretch of open ocean known for freezing waters, strong currents, and unpredictable conditions. This wasn't reckless. She wasn't unprepared. She was one of the most accomplished endurance swimmers in the world, the first woman to swim the English Channel in both directions. She had the training. She had the experience. She was fully equipped. But that day, something happened that had nothing to do with her capability. A thick, heavy fog rolled in. She could barely see anything in front of her. Not the horizon, not the shoreline, not how far she had left to go. She couldn't see the goal. And not being able to see the shore made her want to quit. Her mother and coach were in boats beside her, encouraging her the whole time, keep going, you're doing great. You're so close. But after about 15 hours in the freezing water, completely exhausted and unable to see the shoreline, she lost hope. Not because she couldn't physically keep swimming, but because the mental and emotional weight of not seeing the end was too much. Eventually, she asked to be pulled out. They brought her into the boat and the swim is over. And here's the part that gets me every time. She had stopped less than a mile from the shore. Later she said, if I could have seen the shore, I think I would have made it. And maybe you're living in a similar place right now. So whatever the shoreline is for you in this season, whatever you've been working toward, praying for, hoping for, don't give up. Because sometimes we are so much closer than we realize. We just can't see the breakthrough that lies ahead. And I know some of you are thinking, but you don't understand, I have 40 pounds to lose. I've been struggling with food for years. I've tried before and nothing ever changes. I hear that. But I want to remind you of two things. First, you are equipped. God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-discipline. You are equipped with His spirit, His strength, His promises. Second, what if the breakthrough ahead doesn't look the way you expect? What if it's not forty pounds suddenly gone? Or every craving disappearing overnight, or everything in your life suddenly feeling easy? What if the breakthrough is deeper than that? What if it's a shift in your character? A new level of self-discipline? A renewed mind, a softened heart? What if God is doing something in you before He does something around you? Maybe the breakthrough is a habit that's finally about to stick, a behavior that's starting to shift, a new way of thinking that's finally beginning to take root. Because the truth is, you might feel like quitting right now because you're tired, discouraged, and not seeing results. But growth is often happening in ways you can't immediately see. Progress isn't always obvious. And sometimes breakthrough is on the other side of that very moment you feel like giving up. So repeat after me. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. All things. That doesn't just mean you can pray through Christ who strengthens you. It doesn't just mean you can read your Bible through Christ who strengthens you. It doesn't just mean you can love others through Christ who strengthens you. It says all things. And I want you to use this verse like a weapon in your life this week. You can change your character through Christ who strengthens you. You can do hard things through Christ who strengthens you. You can live in self-discipline, choose wisely, and walk away from temptation through Christ who strengthens you. You can walk away from the brownie. You can complete a workout you didn't feel like doing. You can reach for the vegetables instead of the chips through Christ who strengthens you. Because all of those things require a transformation in your character. And our God is a God of character transformation. He's in the business of character transformation. And your life is no exception. This week, notice where you feel like giving up. Notice where you feel stuck. Notice where you can't see the change. And remember that the breakthrough you're waiting for might look different than what you've been picturing. It might not be reaching the shore. It might be finally nailing down a new habit. It might be finding the discipline to walk away from the foods that keep tempting you. It might be sticking to the workout routine you said you would do. Whatever your journey looks like right now, I want you to picture yourself in the water, just like Florence Chadwick. You're tired, you're worn down, you can't see the shore, and you want to quit. Now, picture Jesus in the boat next to you. He's right there, encouraging you, telling you not to quit. He knows you're tired. He knows you want to give up. He knows the distance feels too far. But he reminds you, you don't have to do this on your own. I'll give you my strength. I'll give you my power. I'll give you what you need to finish. I'm not giving up on you. We started the swim together, and I'll be faithful to bring you to the other side. But you've got to keep going. I promise you, he will transform your character in this area of your life if you let him. Lord God, I put my habits, my thoughts, my discipline, my perseverance, and my determination into your hands. Give me what I need to take the next stroke. Give me what I need for just the next moment. Help me not to worry about how far away the shore feels. Help me to just keep following you. In Jesus' name, Amen. Thanks for spending this time with me. To learn more, visit SoulStrengthFit.com.