Fitness Friday | Knowing When to Step Away

For a long time, I thought thriving meant staying in high-pressure roles, proving I could handle it all. I prided myself on adapting, on staying steady under fire.

But the truth I’ve discovered is simpler and far more freeing: I thrive when I’m not in a place designed to break me.

Some jobs, some careers, some environments are never going to bring out your best. They just aren’t. They demand endurance without growth, stress without purpose. Survival in those spaces isn’t thriving; it’s merely holding on.

I’ve found that stepping away from stressful positions isn’t giving up. It’s creating room to live fully, to serve effectively, and to grow spiritually, creatively, and emotionally. Thriving means aligning with life and work that nurtures, not depletes, you.

When God tells you to sit down, it’s not a suggestion. He’s doing so for your wellbeing.

God didn’t design us merely to survive. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). That’s the invitation — not to cling by our fingernails, but to live abundantly, even in hardship.

Prayer
Lord, give me discernment to know when to stay and when to step away. Help me recognize the places where I can grow and serve well, and the places that drain rather than develop. Lead me to environments that allow me to thrive, not just survive. In the name of Jesus. Amen.