He that perseveres makes every difficulty an advancement and every contest a victory. —Charles Caleb Colton
Anyone looking for a shortcut to spiritual growth, some supernatural moment of “arriving,” doesn’t much like the concept of perseverance. It sounds too much like work.
Though we certainly haven’t agreed to a gospel of self-effort, which isn’t good news at all, we have to admit that not everything magically changed when we believed. We became new creatures, but we were like infants. That’s where growth begins, not where it ends.
Perseverance isn’t always a matter of self-effort, and it doesn’t run contrary to the gospel. We have to cling to faith, be stubborn about grabbing hold of God’s promises, choose to embrace his strength in the place of our weakness, and love others relentlessly. These are all God-given things, yet none of them come to us passively. We need spiritual tenacity to experience them in our lives.
Develop a holy stubbornness when it comes to the things God has given. Turn adversity into advancement. Make your deserts places of fruitfulness. Sing songs of praise in the middle of the night. If you want to learn the meaning of victory, learn the meaning of perseverance. Go after all God offers and never let go.
