Ever felt like quitting? Just giving up from discouragement or exhaustion?
One of my favorite references to perseverance is in Romans 5. It contains the secret to learning to persevere in difficult times.
“And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, Who has been given to us.”
Catch that sequence? First comes suffering. Are you suffering? Okay, you are now qualified to learn what it means to persevere. The next step is to continue, as the popular British saying goes, keep calm and carry on. But it does not end there. By persevering, you develop a benefit, even if your circumstances don’t change, and the benefit is Character: moral, emotional, spiritual, strength. Just like perseverance in exercise develops physical muscle so when you don’t give up in your suffering you develop strength of character in your soul. But there’s more. Hope comes after you have persevered. You realize you can face tomorrow because you made it through today.
If you are going through a difficult financial trial right now, keep living on your budget. Keep making the small steps of progress to get out of debt. Keep saving a little each day or week or month. Step by step, you will make progress while gaining character and hope!
