PERSEVERANCE ‘But he who endures to the end shall be saved.’   MATTHEW 24:13 Do you have stick-to-itiveness? When you come up against an obstacle, do you push through to the end? Persistent effort pays off. Paul tells us in Galatians 6:9, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”   What makes people decide to quit? Sometimes people quit because they feel their efforts have brought little or no success. Once a man, determined to find gold, spent time and money digging a mine shaft. But after digging down one mile, he gave up and sold the mine. The person who bought the mine dug down only three more feet and struck gold! People also quit because of setbacks in their health, finances, or other arenas of their lives. Criticism by others, especially the criticism of a spouse, parent, or friend has caused many people to give up. The ingratitude of those they have tried to help has discouraged others.   But we can’t let lack of success, devastating setbacks, criticism, or ingratitude hinder us from pursuing worthwhile goals. The first time Benjamin Disraeli spoke before the English House of Commons, the members laughed at him. But instead of throwing in the towel, Disraeli vowed that one day those people would listen to him. He went on to become a great orator and the first Jewish prime minister of England. William Carey, a missionary to India, faced devastation, but he never gave up even though a fire burned his house and, with it, many years of Bible translation work. Instead of quitting, he reworked his translations, and when finished he believed his second translations were better than the first.   We can persevere, even when times get tough. But we can’t do it alone. Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” As we wait on God, He gives us the strength to endure.   Are you about to lose heart? If you want to quit a work the Lord has given you to do, ask God to strengthen you so that you may continue. As He gives you strength, take hold of your goal and never let go.
A lot of impulsive mistakes are made by people who simply aren’t willing to stay bored a little longer. FRANK CLARK
© 1996 by D. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means--electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise--without prior written permission.   See entire copyright.
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