Perseverance

      Dr. Curt Thompson says, “to be human is to suffer” (The Deepest Place, xii).  As we go through life, suffering will have different faces—disease, divorce, conflict and disappointment.  There is a character trait that is required to survive and even thrive through the suffering we all experience; it’s perseverance.  Perseverance is the continued effort to do or achieve something despite the difficulties one will encounter along the way.  Dr. Thompson even suggests that we should offer hospitality to suffering (The Deepest Place, xii). To succeed in the Christian life requires perseverance.  How do we live out this sacred endurance well?
     Embrace Realistic Expectations.  I appreciate that Jesus does not sugar coat the cost of following Him.  He says, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33).  His invitation to “take up your cross and follow me” refuses to bury the challenges in the fine print (Matthew 16:24).  Jesus told us that the world hated Him and it will hate us (John 15:18-19).  Yes, we follow a resurrected Savior but he was crucified first.  In many places around the world to be Christian is to be actively persecuted, even killed.  The cross then the crown, that’s the pattern we see in Scripture.  This pattern is not just true of our faith but life in general.  Typically, a new business sees some lean, difficult years before there is success.  Most marriages have challenging seasons that have to be walked through in order to experience the mature, robust married love we all long for. Even parenting has its moments that were left out of the “parenting brochure.”  You will suffer; it’s part of life.  Do not be surprised.  No matter which area of life you examine, the most successful are poster boys or girls of perseverance.
     Wait Actively.  Lean into the times you must wait (Psalm 27:14).  God is doing something in those seasons.  Abraham grew in his faith as he waited a couple decades for his miracle son Isaac to arrive.  David learned more about leadership as he ran from King Saul for a decade before God made him the king of Israel.  After the resurrection the apostles worshipped and prayed as they waited for the giving of the Holy Spirit to empower them for their divine mission.    
     Clarify and Embrace Purpose.  When it comes to persevering in the Christian life our why is clear; we want to know God and enjoy Him forever.  He gives each of us a specific calling where we make a difference (Ephesians 2:10).  Part of mine was to start/plant Journey Christian Church. With that clarity of vision, I was able to persevere through seven years of working another full-time job six nights a week on top of working full-time to establish the church.  Today I see the fruit of that perseverance with every person who commits to Christ, breaks an addiction, renews their challenging marriage, offers food to the hungry or answers God’s specific call to serve through Journey.  Pain is usually woven throughout our specific purpose which is why perseverance is so critical.
     In nature, we are given a fascinating picture of change.  A caterpillar enters a cocoon and “dies” and a butterfly emerges.   As we personally enter the mess of character metamorphosis, perseverance is the key to maturity.  When a caterpillar dies a butterfly flies.  This week, where do you need to exercise some godly grit?
Pastor Derek Dickinson
Journey Christian Church