Perseverance Strong

Difficulties.  Hardships.  Trials.  Financial woes.  Marital problems.  Family issues.  Health concerns.  And on we could go.  All of these zap our spirit and can cause depression, loss of sleep, anxiety, and/or sorrow.  How can I overcome adversity?  How can I persevere when life seems to be crashing down and there is no end in sight?  What can I do when it is hard to get out of the bed and face another day of turmoil and shame?  

Any relief in sight?  

Any solutions to heartache, marital problems, or financial crisis?  

Help!  

There’s a guy in the New Testament that says to “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” (NIV) James 1:2-3

James was one of the half brothers to Jesus.  Although Jesus and James grew up under the same roof, James, along with his other siblings did not believe in what Jesus was teaching to be true.  It took the brutal punishment and the resurrection of Jesus before James and his siblings to come around and finally believe that Jesus was truly the Son of God.  That being said, if there ever was a person who witnessed adversity in a person’s life, it was James.  He witnessed the horrendous, bloody and gut-wrenching murder of his brother. James saw first hand the brutality of godless people.  He heard the laughter, insults and blasphemy of the barbaric and so-called religious people of his day that were hurled toward his sibling.  

Not only did James witness the details of a brother who was murdered, he witnessed a brother who persevered under extreme and intense pain.  James not only heard the insults of the mob, but he heard the forgiveness of the man who claimed to be the Son of God toward a people who murdered him for that very claim.  

James came to understand that in all trials it isn’t the pain and suffering that is the most important part to focus on, rather, it is the life-lessons, experiences, and what we take away for each trial and testing when it is all over that is the most important.  A person who is filled with the Spirit of God will experience the full measure of joy when they see what the end results of the trials and testing ultimately give them – PERSEVERANCE!     

Perseverance is the ability to keep moving and not give up in spite of trials in ones life.  Helen Keller said, “The marvelous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were no limitations to overcome.  The hilltop hour would not be half so wonderful if there were no dark valleys to traverse.”

When Keller was one and a half years old, she developed a fever that would eventually take her eyesight and hearing.  Eventually, her determination to persevere catapulted her to learn.  She was able to communicate in five ways:  Touch-lip reading, braille, speaking, typing, and finger spelling.  Keller went on to write her first book called, “Story of My life” and graduated cum laude from Radcliff College, which is now, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study-Harvard University.  Keller’s ability to get past what she didn’t have and persevere under extreme difficulty; inspired a nation.

To be perseverance strong, each of us has to see what can be, rather than, what isn’t.  We have to be a determined people who are bent on allowing the Spirit of God to lead through every difficulty, trial, financial woe, martial problem, family issue, and health concern.  Traveling the road of hardship by ourselves will only create animosity towards God and those around us who we feel don’t know what it is like to suffer. 

To be perseverance strong each of us must allow God to hold us and give us the needed rest along the journey.  Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”  (MSG)

To be perseverance strong each of us must trust God.  God told Joshua when he got the job to lead a few million people into the promise land in Deuteronomy 31:6, “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” (NLT)

God is in the business of ensuring we have all the tools to develop within each of us a perseverance strong mentality; all we have to do is trust him.  Philippians 4:13 says that we can do anything because of Christ.  You can!  Trials and hardships are temporary, but God’s love and resources are limitless.  

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian