A three-year-old aspiring “marathoner” taught me something I will never forget.

Her name is Clark. Her mom, Kim, is a precious family friend and a serious marathon runner. One day Clark decided she wanted to run too. And as she ran, her little heart started beating harder.

She looked at her mom and said, “I’m suffering.”

“Do you want to stop?” her mom asked.

“No. I’m suffering,” Clark replied.

Again her mom asked, “Do you want to stop?”

“No. I’m suffering.”

The video was so adorable that it went viral. It caught the eye of someone on the Today Show and resulted in Clark’s now famous interview. But what struck me wasn’t just the cuteness; it was the clarity.

Clark wasn’t describing pain. She was describing challenge. She was learning that sometimes effort feels uncomfortable. Growth stretches you like running may make your heart feel like it’s metaphorically pounding.

But she didn’t quit.

And because she didn’t quit, she finished. She even earned a medal in her first kids race. She grew in confidence. What she once called “suffering,” she now sees as strength.

There’s a scripture that says, “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)

Notice what that verse assumes. It assumes we could have the opportunity to get weary.

God wouldn’t say “don’t grow weary” unless He knew we would be tempted to, right?

It may be easy to quit.

It may be easy to give up.

It may even feel easy to stop in the middle of the metaphorical “pounding heart challenge.”

But what is waiting on the other side if you don’t?

That question changed my life.

What’s Waiting on the Other Side?

When I was 18, doctors told me I would never have children.

By my early 20s, I was facing surgeries, complications, and heartbreaking diagnoses. I had miscarriages. I had loss. I held my baby who lived only 36 hours. I rode a seesaw of mountaintop faith and days of grief.

There were days I told my father-in-law, Oral Roberts, “I can’t do this anymore. I quit.”

One day he simply said, “Okay.”

That surprised me. He wasn’t a casual “okay” kind of man.

Then he added, “But if you quit, what’s waiting for you on the other side of your miracle?”

That question settled deep within my soul.

What would I miss if I stopped now?

In my particular case, on the other side of my personal “suffering,” stretching myself, challenging my faith, waiting for my “don’t quit mid-miracle” harvest were my daughters — Jordan, Olivia, and Chloe. On the other side of the weariness I was facing was promise fulfilled.

Isaiah 40:31 NIV says, “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles.”

Notice in this scripture where hope is placed: not in circumstances, not in physical reports, not in emotions, but in the Lord.

After going through this challenge:

My mind and thoughts seemed exhausted.

My emotions were certainly raw.

My body was absolutely hurting.

But hope in the Lord renewed me.

James 1:2 says to “consider it pure joy” when you face trials. That sounds almost unreasonable — until you read the rest of the scripture. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:2-5 NIV) According to this scripture, trials produce perseverance. Perseverance matures you. And maturity leads to lacking nothing.

Perseverance builds something quitting never can.

My father-in-law used to call me on hard days and say, “Stay in there and fight.” Then he’d hang up–no explanation, no long speech.

Just: “Stay in there and fight,” meaning fight the good fight of my faith (1 Timothy 6:12).

And, that’s what I want to say to you.

I pray you stay in there as the Lord directs.

I pray you fight the good fight of your faith.

And I pray you don’t stop in the middle of the miracle just because it doesn’t seem easy.

Maybe your challenge is financial.

Maybe it’s physical.

Maybe it’s emotional.

Maybe it’s something no one else even knows about, and maybe you’re not even certain the cause.

But God’s promise says: in due season, there is a harvest — if you don’t quit (Galatians 6:9).

And perhaps one of the most important question is this:

What miracle is waiting on the other side of your God-directed perseverance?

I pray you don’t give up before you find out and you expect a miracle.

And you let God finish what He started.