How to Persevere
How to Persevere
"For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance if fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing." James 1:3-4
A few years ago, I wanted to run a 5km running race.
When I first started training for it, I couldn’t even run around the block! I would run for 1 minute and run out of breath, and at first, I thought I would never be able to run 5kms. But I was determined to run the race and I made my mind up that I was going to do it, regardless of how hard it was.
As I kept running short distances, I started developing strength and endurance. I realized I could run further and faster.
Months after I started training, I ran the 5km race, and finished it and I had such a sense of achievement!
How do we develop perseverance in our lives?
We have to decide that we are NOT going to quit.
"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9
When we face challenges, we can easily be swayed by our emotions, and how we feel and even the opinions of others. That why we need to decide that we are going to persevere and push through, regardless of what the situation looks like.
There will be times that we will all face situations that look impossible, and we feel like we can’t face them on our own, that’s where we need to remember we CAN do all things through God’s strength. Imagine yourself running a race, but you already know that you are going to win the race and the finish line is closer than you think.
On the other side of most things we face is a new level of growth and depth.
Napoleon Hill said "Victory is always possible for the person who refuses to stop fighting".
How many times have we given up on a project, writing a book, learning the guitar or building new friendship, because it was hard?
As humans, we don't seem to like to do things that make us feel uncomfortable. We don't like to experience pain or hardship. But if we always run away from these things, we won't grow into mature adults.
Why do we need to develop perseverance?
Throughout our lives, we will face many trials at our workplace, in our friendships, family, marriages, finances, and our health. If we give up at the first sign of trouble, we won't develop the endurance, strength and perseverance we need to build our character.
I love palm trees, and I found out a couple of years ago that a palm tree can bend its trunk all the way over and not snap. During strong storms and gail forces winds, the trunk of the palm tree bends over and it can snap back into place within a few hours!
What are you facing in your life at the moment that you need perseverance for?
Spend some time today to think about the situations in your life that God is using as an opportunity to help you grow in endurance and perseverance.