Perseverance is most commonly defined or referred to as a steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state; especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, constraints, bottlenecks, or discouragement.

Here are a few synonyms you may have heard that describes perseverance: determined, decisive, resolved, grit, tenacious, certain, and confident. In times of trouble or despair which of these synonyms best describe you?

Make no mistake, our fallen world is falling deeper and deeper everyday. There is no need to delve into specific details. All you have to do is look at the news for few seconds or simply take two swipes on any of your favorite social media news feed.

With that being said, there’s no doubt in my spirit that we need to fully embody and practice the act (gift) of perseverance. One of my favorite all time scriptures that I cleave to during difficult times is found in the book of James. Here’s what he said in chapter 1 verses 2-4, “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. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

James certainly brought an action-oriented perspective to the principles that we can trust God to provide for us during times of despair. If you struggle with ‘counting it all joy’ look at it from this perspective, if faith is real—if we truly trust God—then our faith will lead to all kinds of practical actions that will produce the deep grounded and embedded power of perseverance.

Think about it for a moment; if the snail made it to the Ark, then surely God can see you through whatever circumstance you’re facing today. My brothers and sisters, as true believers in Christ we are eternally secure in our salvation and as a result of that our faith should also persevere in affliction, sickness, persecution, and the other trials of life that befall us. Paul reminds us in 2 Timothy 3:12, we will experience trouble, but the faithful will persevere, kept by the power of the Holy Spirit who is the guarantee of our salvation and who will keep us “strong to the end, persevering so we will be “blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:8).

#BeStrong

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