My son Tyler and I had a spiritually rich experience chopping wood together a month ago.

Wielding an axe is not one of my stronger talents, but Tyler was itching to swing the red-handled wedge, wanted someone to keep him company while he experimented for the first time, and we needed more firewood for the winter anyway. So out to the woodpile with two new axes in hand we walked.

Up until this point, I had minimal experience chopping wood, let alone swinging an axe properly.

With dozens of chunks of wood heaped to our side, I’d put one log on the chopping block at a time and made a swing. If the log split easily, I’d continue whacking. If the log didn’t budge, I’d cast it aside into my “stubborn log” pile and grab another one. Soon, the pile of stubborn unchopped logs was larger than the split wood. This was not a good sign!

I stopped and prayed about my lack of success with so many unbudging logs. Was this a model of action I wanted to perpetuate, and teach my son? I asked.

I thought about how many times in life people get tempted to give up on a worthy task. Rather than trying harder and looking for ways to be successful, they might give up and move onto another “log.”

For example, if a relationship is not working out, why not give up and go find another person? the tempter often suggests. Or if a health problem is not yielding readily to prayer, why not give up and seek a quick-fix material remedy? the tempter argues. Or if the debt keeps mounting, why not give up and admit it can’t be brought under control? again the tricky misleader wants us to conclude.

Did I believe in giving up so easily? Absolutely not! Giving up has never been my motto.

Jesus taught his followers to take up the cross before they could wear the crown.

Chopping wood is hardly a metaphor for taking up the cross, but actually, it was for me at the time. As I considered the bad example I was setting by letting my stubborn log pile grow, I had to sacrifice my self-righteous lazy attitude that I couldn’t chop those logs successfully and admit the job could be done.

I re-doubled my efforts. “With God all things are possible,” I uttered as I grabbed a stubborn log and re-poised it on the chopping block.

Before mindlessly whacking, I listened for a few moments on how to proceed. A voice within started giving me tips on how to approach unyielding logs.

I looked for cracks in the wood. Rather than hitting the log directly in the middle,–often the hardest place of all to start,–I aimed my iron for the edges on the weakest sides.

Wood started splitting in all directions. Success was mine! To my amazement, I chopped every single log in that stubborn pile and finished with one of the grandest feelings of personal triumph I’ve felt in a long time.

My son and I finished a cord of wood that day, and had to have our picture taken because it was a first for us!

Tyler is all ready to start chopping a second cord…and I’m actually looking forward to it. This is amazing!

Don’t give up. It’s not necessary.

Back off a bit from the trouble. Listen. Pray. Every stubborn issue has a vulnerable spot, a place to begin aiming the truth that cracks the problem wide open and disarms it to the delight of all.