It's been a while. I'd like to say that I have spent this entire time contemplating what I want to write regarding perseverance but that would be a lie. I've just been busy and distracted. Two kids. A wife. 20 credit hours at school. Not excuses, just the reasons that I haven't posted in a while.
I love how I wrote that explanation as if there is this horde of people sweating when I will post my next blog. Believe me, I am aware that most people reading this either: A. didn't know I even had a blog, or B. don't care when/if I ever post again.
Anyways... I've been writing about these three P's. Perspective, Priorities, and (now) Perseverance. For some reason these three ideas have been bouncing around in my head for a couple years and I figured that my new blog was the perfect place to lay them out.
So... for everyone who has been holding their breath; exhale. Here it is:
Perseverance
I honestly don't know where to start. In the past few weeks, so many examples of this idea have been presented to me. I have come across scripture after scripture that speaks to this idea. This tells me one thing:
Perseverance is important.
And it applies to us all.
More often than we think.
Going back to my last post I spoke to this a little bit. I recognized that it is obvious that we are not going to always have the "proper" perspective. This concept applies far, far beyond our "perspective". It has to do with every decision we make and action we take. Every day. I'm not sure how many of you are like me but I know that I fail daily. I fail God, I fail my wife, I fail my kids. It could be in my thoughts, my actions, my attitude, whatever. This issue of perseverance has to do with how we handle that failure.
When we know that we have (sometimes habitually) failed our God, our family, our friends, our co-workers, or anyone else in our sphere of influence, how do we handle it? What do we do? Can we fix it? Can we do better?
Considering that I fail daily, should I just resign myself to that fact; admit defeat and continue in the same pattern without hope of change?
NO.
I'm going back to my last post a little bit here but listen to me. If you are a follower of Jesus, the Spirit of GOD is living in you. Please, PLEASE, stop for a moment and remember that Truth. It is that Truth that gives you the ability to persevere.
We are being sanctified day by day. That is a fancy way of saying that God is working on us, always. We know that we will never achieve perfection this side of eternity. If we could become perfect here on Earth then we could get in to Heaven without the need for Christ which just is not the case. There is work to be done and there always will be work to be done. The beauty of that statement is that the work is being done. Not by us but by God. By the only one who can do what needs to be done.
Perseverance. No matter how hard we fall. No matter how many times we fall. We have no choice but to stop, humble ourselves, and say, "now it will be different." That's our only option. Without that mindset we are left in doubt; questioning whether or not we are truly saved, whether or not we are truly children of the living God. We must live in faith, knowing that our heavenly Father is faithful and just to forgive our sins (1 John 1:9). This does not in any way mean that we take lightly the following observation of 1 John 2:3-4 which says, "Whoever says 'I know Him' but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him." But those two verses are working in harmony. We recognize, as Paul does in Romans 7:15-20, there is a tension between our flesh and our spirit and we do not always keep His commandments; but the Spirit of God is waging war on our behalf and as long as we persevere, He will endure victorious.
We strive to obey the loving ordinances of our gracious heavenly Father. We also must know that He is here. In us. With us. Among us. Working. He will complete His good work. All we have to do is bend the knee and let the creator of all that is good and perfect and beautiful have His way in our lives.
And after those times.
The times that I stand up.
And declare how I will do it.
I have to stop.
Repent.
Bow.
And persevere.
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Ok. So those are the three P's. I don't like lists. I disdain alliterative lists. But there you go. Take it however you want.
Who knows what the heck I'll write about next. Probably my kids or something. They seem to take up a lot of my time.
Stick around.
I'll try to keep it interesting.
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