“And we rejoice in the hope od the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our suffering, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Rom. 5:2-4).
I heard a fellow say, “Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly.” He was saying we don’t do everything perfectly the first time we try. We have to keep trying. Look, perseverance is the key to every great accomplishment because nothing of lasting value has ever been achieved without it. Henry Ford is one of the great success stories in American history. However, he failed in business five times before he succeeded. An employee once asked his boss the secret of success, and Henry Ford replied, “When you start a thing, don’t quit until you finish it.”
One thing I have learned over my 66 years is that the path ahead of us is filled with obstacles. There will be people will oppose you. There will be setbacks (financial, time pressures, illnesses etc.). I have also learned that some of the biggest obstacles were inside of me: self-doubt, insecurity, procrastination, and worry.
When we “hang in there” through adversity, the Lord is pleased. The hurting church at Ephesus was told, “I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance…. You have preserved and have endured hardships for my name, and have grown weary” (Rev. 2:2-3).
Perseverance is a refusal to quit. It’s falling down 100 times and getting back up 101 times. We need to remember that perseverance is not a matter of forcing doors to open; it’s standing in front of the doors as long as it takes before God chooses to open them.
Life is a marathon, not a sprint. The race doesn’t go to the swiftest, but to those who don’t give up. We need endurance in order to deal with the stress of adversity. We must maintain a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and get plenty of rest. People give up or give out when they feel depleted – when they physically, emotionally and spiritually run out of gas. When going through adversity, watch out for pessimists, blamers and other negative nelly personalities. Beware of people who will try to talk you out of your dreams and goals. Hang around with optimists and encouragers. Be around people of faith.
Persevere to the end.