I know full well what it is to give up...I did. I had been in church for a few years even bringing my family to finally join me. But my faith was weak, my spiritual foundation was weak. Eventually I fell away from God. But God is faithful! When I faced insurmountable odds...everything was stripped from me! He saved me!
Today....I turn to Him in everything that I do. Even for what I'm going to eat. And when the struggles of life come, I rejoice and simply ask Him "show me Lord what I should do" and He does. Weather it's moving forward, staying still, or letting go. He guides my way.
I think the characteristics of a disciple with robust faith is some one like Paul...it is always on my mind as an example...he was in prison facing persecution, death!, and he said...Phillipians 3:8 I consider it all loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus Christ. For his sake I consider them all garbage that I may gain Christ. Paul continued to 'rejoice' in the Lord at every point of persecution and impossible odds because of what He knew about Christ. He he considered death better!, because then he'd be with Christ, but went on to say, "bit if Christ chooses for me to go on living I will do so sharing the gospel.