Perseverance Pays

Romans 5:3-5

³ Not only so, but we^[a] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ 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.

 

Philipians 3: 13-14

 

13Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

 

I think of the Olympics as one of our greats tests of perseverance, reaching toward a goal until it is accomplished. Many sacrifices of our body, family, friends and finances go into reaching that goal and when it is over, we have a medal to remind us of the prize we sacrificed for.

 

Quote from John Furlong, former CEO of the Vancouver Olympics 2010 Organizing Committee:

This is the one event in the world that is a genuine celebration of peace and humanity. It is a chance for the world to grow a bit where cultures can connect better. I always thought the Olympic Games would be something that would inspire every Canadian child to live a better life and become a better leader, to believe in fair play and have good values.

Jack Poole, the Vanoc board chairman
 "There is only today and the moment you are in. So live it well with a loving heart."

That was his philosophy. Today is the only day that matters. Stop worrying about the next day or next month.

All goals are a test of perseverance..."Perseverance is the energy that drives the human spirit.  Such persistence has played a large part in the success of noted men and women in various fields.  All of us struggle with problems in which persistence may mean the difference between happiness and gloom, life and death. 

Finally, at Jericho, Elisha was tested once more in a similar way. Again, Elisha passed the test of persistence and accompanied Elijah to Jordan. It was thus that he got the double portion of the anointing – God’s best for his life (2 Ki.2:1-14).

What is the message here for us? There are various stages in our spiritual development at which God tests us to see whether we are satisfied with what we have already received or whether we will press on to God’s highest. Very, very few are willing to walk the way of the cross – “the new and living way that Jesus has inaugurated for us through His flesh.” (Heb. 10:20).

But it is these few, who are wholehearted enough to press on to total death to self, who receive the double portion – God’s best.