Perseverance
The Merriam-Webster dictionary describes 'perseverance' as "continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition: the action or condition or an instance of persevering: steadfastness." Perseverance is not a gift or even a personality type; it is a choice that we make to refuse to give up when life gets tough. The fruit of perseverance indicates great character.
One of the challenges many face today, in our culture of instant gratification, is that it can take away our motivation to persevere through tough times in order, to apprehend God's promises. Slowly but surely, perseverance is becoming a lost art. In a strange way, our impatient obsession, in that we believe in miracles, (which is the immediate intervention of God in a situation), can undermine our value of life's processes that are often rooted in perseverance.
Someone said, "God often takes a long time to act suddenly". Often, many of the most amazing "instant miracles" we witness have been preceded by years of prayer and persistent faithfulness.
Persistence and perseverance are rooted in faith. Perseverance is to our soul what exercise is to our body. (Hebrews 6:12 'faith and patience inherit the promises".)
2 Peter chapter 1 verses 5-8 NLT "so make every effort to apply the benefits of these promises to your life. Then your faith will produce a life of moral excellence. A life of moral excellence leads to knowing God better. Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance (perseverance), and patient endurance (perseverance) leads to godliness. Godliness leads to love for other Christians, and finally you will grow to have genuine love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more you will become productive and useful in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
God's rich blessings.
Kath
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