Articles
The Value of Perseverance
A golden wedding anniversary. Graduation. Crossing the finish line of a marathon. Completing the writing of a book. Arriving at one’s destination after a long journey.
None of these major accomplishments could be achieved without perseverance. The virtue of sticking with it contributes to success in education, business, athletics, and countless other endeavors.
In view of our higher goals, shouldn’t we who are Christians value perseverance even more highly than people of the world?
It is easier to get married than to stay married. It is easier to enroll in a course than to complete all the exams and assignments. It is easier to start a project than to finish it.
It is easier to be baptized than to be faithful to Christ, day after day, year after year. It isn’t easy to press forward in spite of hardships, distractions, and temptations. Christianity is an obstacle course on the road to heaven. Considering what we have to gain—and what we have to lose—can we afford to let the obstacles become barriers?
Satan would love to draw us away from the commitment we made to Christ when we were baptized. He failed to prevent our initial obedience to the gospel. But he hopes to succeed in defeating us in our daily walk with Christ.
If he can discourage us, seduce us, or distract us, he will. But “greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4 NASB). Satan can defeat us only if we let him.
No hardship need hold us back from reaching our destination. We have God’s word to instruct us, His promises to motivate us, His Spirit to strengthen us, and His church to encourage us.
One day will be our last day. May that day find us in our place and at our task—faithful. May each of us someday be able to say with Paul, “. . . I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing” 2 Timothy 4:7-8).
So hang in there!
