When You Have Nothing Left to Give

“Move on – or roll over and die.”

Bryan Anderson

Bryan Anderson was a US Army sergeant on his second tour in Iraq. One day, he was driving at the back of a convoy in Baghdad when a bomb went off. Lying on the ground, he tried to move his hand, only to realize it was missing. He looked down – both his legs were gone – and passed out.

Bryan woke up a week later in a hospital in the United States, with his mom by his bedside. She spoke. “You know you have basically two options here, right?”

He nodded in agreement. “Move on – or roll over and die.” ⁽¹⁾

Since then, Bryan has exemplified the first option. He endured months of grueling rehab and learned to use prosthetic arms and legs. He’s acted in films and TV shows, written a memoir, and worked for various organizations. He’s done more than many people with all their limbs.

Fortunately, most of us will never experience the horrors Bryan endured. Yet we all face trials and tribulations that force the same choice: move forward or give up. Bryan inspires us to choose hope, no matter how devastating the circumstances.

But how? I’ll admit I’m not naturally optimistic. I tend to see why something won’t work before I notice why it will. If I were in Bryan’s shoes, I’d be inclined to shrivel up and die. So I have to work hard to keep a positive attitude.

God is the source of hope. He is the one who gives us the power to carry on, even when we feel we can’t take another step. Choosing to move forward isn’t about trying harder or having stronger willpower. Our strength is finite, and it doesn’t take much to reach its limits. What keeps us going is having the right focus in front of us.

Let me turn to a biblical example – David. He spent up to fifteen years fleeing for his life from King Saul, who hunted him like an animal. In Psalm 13, David cries out to God, admitting he’s about to give up unless the Lord helps him. He’s ready to roll over and die.

At his lowest, a breakthrough occurs. David’s attitude makes a 180° turn. “But I trust in your unfailing love,” he declares to God, ⁽²⁾ and he even breaks out in a song of joy. Somehow, in the midst of pouring out his anguish to God, David is able to turn his attention from his desperate circumstances to the Lord’s unfailing love. Shifting his focus from his fugitive status to the Lord enables him to fight another day. His situation may not have changed, but he finds a reason to keep trusting God

Whenever we come to a crossroads between moving forward or giving up, our focus will ultimately guide us. We don’t need to be strong. Instead, we should keep our eyes on the One who is. When we do, the Lord will give us the strength to carry on.

⁽¹⁾ Anderson, Bryan. “A Will to Live.” Guideposts, July 2016, pp. 30-34.

⁽²⁾ Psalm 13:5