Persevere

What is something that you have done or tried to accomplish, but it seemed so hard that you didn’t know if you could do it? 

Growing up I had a very difficult time keeping my room clean. Sure, it once was clean to start with at one moment in time, but I never seemed able to keep it that way for too long. I would throw my clothes onto the floor, not putting them away in my dresser, with every intention of doing it “sometime” but that time seldom came. I would play with my toys until bedtime, then leave them strewn across the floor like a little battlefield, and the next day I would add more to the already large mess on my floor. Books, shoes, and more, they would all be in a huge jumbled up mess. 

Eventually one day would come when I was told that I had to clean my room. With no other alternative I would be left alone in my room, as I stared at the incredible chaos I had created. I hardly knew even where to begin! It was so overwhelming that I would start picking up one type of thing, only then to get sidetracked with something else, and I had a difficult time even getting anything done at all. But slowly, and surely, piece by piece I picked everything up. Each book went on the bookshelf, each article of clothing was either put into my dresser or into the dirty clothes hamper. And you know what? What once seemed nearly impossible for me to do had been done. I persevered, I continued on with my chores cleaning my room, and I overcame.

Proverbs 24:10  “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.”

We will go through many trials, temptations, and persecutions as a child of God. Stumbling blocks that the devil will try to toss in our path to try to bring us down. But like the toys and the clothes and the books all over my room we must overcome those, one by one. We must defeat the sinful urge and desire to go and do evil, and persevere.

1 Peter 5:6-10  “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”

Many times Paul had to endure suffering at the hands of others. Paul was stoned, he was beaten with rods, thrown into prison. But through all of these difficult times, how many times did he lose his faith in Christ? None. Someone named Alexander the coppersmith did much evil towards Paul, but through all of these things that he had to endure, he persevered. He never let himself become weak in the faith.

2 Timothy 4:14-18  “Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:

Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.

At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

We need to be like a young tree in a storm, which when the heavy winds blow that tree might sway back and forth but it never breaks. It doesn’t fall down, but it weathers that storm.

Be strong in your faith. Don’t let anything or anyone break you down and weaken your faith. Set your faith and found it on the Rock. Persevere, and continue on in your faith in Christ.

In Christ,

Andrew