Perseverance | persistence and tenacity of faith
Our counting from Easter to Pentecost readies itself for the fourth week of the study. By Wednesday of this week, we will be at the halfway mark of the adventure. During the time, we focused on characteristics of spiritual growth, looking at unity and the mind. During the next week, the topic perseverance garners our attention. The character of our lives must count as one who perseveres and thrives in the faith.
Carlynne McDonnell, passionate women’s equality author and activist, one said the best trait for success was perseverance. “Perseverance gives us the ability to see our dreams become reality. It is hard work and constant self-talk about how your accomplishments matter. It requires being present and deflecting wasteful mind conversations about yourself or other people.”
Jenny Garrett writes that perseverance is “the ability to stand up and take a step forward when everyone else sits down.” Stress America reports that 27% of its survey respondents believe that lack of willpower is the most significant barrier to change. Proffitt Management Solutions states that “perseverance is the key to winning the race. It is more important than skill and more vital than past experience.”
scripture points to endurance
Our passage of Scripture for the coming week comes from the book of Acts, as Luke tells the story of Paul’s first missionary journey. Luke writes that while Paul’s group were returning to the villages of Lystra and Iconium,
“where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God. Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church. With prayer and fasting, they turned the elders over to the care of the Lord in whom they had put their trust” (Acts 14:22-23 NLT).
We will look during the coming week about how we learn to persevere.
