When Perseverance Gets Really Tough
My intentions were set high. Summer is over, the school year has started, and I had many plans of writing projects, Bible studies to attend, and closets to clean out. My intentions were set high until everything started coming at me at once. Do I have the perseverance to continue even when my schedule gets full of other important tasks? Do you ever feel that way? You have great intentions to wake up early to spend time with God, commit to attending a fall Bible study, or visit your elderly neighbor that is so lonely, but your busy schedule depletes you of energy to do these things. Perseverance is what gives us the power to do good for God even when times get tough.
It’s sometimes easy to think, “Oh well, I didn’t get it done, maybe I just wasn’t meant to fit it in today.” Or we say to ourselves, “There’s always tomorrow.” We think we are simply being patient and waiting for the perfect timing, but is perseverance the same as patience?
Perseverance is so much more than patience. One definition defines it as “nerving oneself.” Another states it as an action of “heroic endurance.” Endurance means to continue in one’s reliance of God, being persistent in faith. Sometimes we think we are having perseverance, but we are mistaking that for our present passion. We must be careful to know the difference in passion and perseverance. For example, there is a position opening in your company with a substantial raise, not to mention you will get to move to a bigger corner office with views of the river. You work hard to get that promotion and when you finally get it, you realize all the responsibility and workload that came with this new promotion. As soon as the job got tough, you no longer thought you had what it took to do the job. You wanted to run back to your old job that didn’t pay as much, but at least you were comfortable. You had a passion to get this promotion, but do you have the perseverance to do the work and stick with it? The benefits are worth the work. Perseverance will withstand the time when troubles come, and passion will dwindle. We learn and earn perseverance by allowing God to hold the reins, giving Him the control over our lives. Then and only then will perseverance have its perfect work.
That’s kind of how our walk with Christ is. A relationship with Christ, following His commands, being obedient to His calling, and placing Him first in our lives can sometimes be very hard. The devil and the world he lives in tries to get in the way of our goals. Sometimes the devil makes our lives harder and other times it’s just the realization that we live in a fallen world that brings unexpected circumstances our way and throw us off our course.
When we are put in the fire and experience pressure we see our true character. It’s easy to stick with our goals and be kind to those around us when everything is going smoothly, but the true test is when the pressure comes.
Persistence in itself is not our final goal. Our aim is to be perfect, fully mature and complete in Christ, lacking in nothing (James 1:5). James goes on in verse 12 telling us that the one who perseveres under trial, standing the test, will be blessed by receiving the crown of life, this is our final goal. The Greek word for trial is pierasmos. As I read the Greek definition, the word temptation kept popping up. The devil wants to use our troubles and trials as a form of temptation for us. He wants them to deter us from our Christian duties or make us unfit to perform them. But, when these afflictions are in God’s hands, He uses them to carry out our duties and glorify Him. Our trials are intended for His graces. If we consider the graces that come from our troubles then being joyful through them should come easily. We are like gold being put in a furnace, being purified.
So, regardless of how busy you are or the unexpected turns that come your way each day, persevere in your walk with Christ. Be flexible if something happens in the morning and you don’t get your quiet time done. Instead, do it during your lunch break. When your schedule turns into chaos, take a breath and think about what is most important. Your attitude towards those around you is most important and makes a lasting impression. Make a choice to not stand on the hard path that you planned for yourself, but to stand on the foundation of Christ that allows you to find joy in the hard times. Look for God’s will always and persevere until His will is accomplished.
Digging Deeper:
Read the book of James. It is only 5 chapters and is a guide on how to live a Christian life centered around Jesus.
What is holding you back from persevering right now?
Give your goals to God and ask for His help in accomplishing them. You cannot follow God’s will if you struggle to do everything on your own.